Stephen Spencer, who was working at Wrightington Hospital in Wigan, was also found to have touched a colleague inappropriately, made suggestive remarks and also falsely claimed to have carried out an end of shift drugs audit.

The tribunal found Spencer had not maintained professional boundaries by kissing a colleague on the cheek in September 2022.

On 8 July 2022, Spencer was found to have touched a colleague's waist and/or neck on one or more occasions.

On the same day, Spencer was found to have said while attempting to remove a colleague's surgical gown that he would ‘rip it off'.

He was referred to the HCPC by Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospital NHS Trust after an internal investigation into his conduct.

The HCPC said: ‘The panel was concerned that the registrant took no responsibility for his actions or how they may have been perceived and indeed sought to blame the women who had complained about his conduct.

‘It followed that there was a high risk of repetition. The registrant was likely in the future to repeat his sexual misconduct, placing colleagues at risk of harm and bringing the profession into disrepute. He is currently impaired.'

A Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospital NHS Trust spokesperson said: ‘We acknowledge the outcome of the Health and Care Professions Tribunal Service hearing concerning Mr Stephen Spencer, a former operating department practitioner who is no longer employed by the trust.

‘When concerns were raised, the trust carried out a thorough internal investigation and made a referral to the HCPC, fully supporting the regulatory process.

‘We are committed to maintaining the highest standards of professional conduct and to providing a safe and respectful environment for patients, relatives and staff. As part of this commitment, the trust signed the NHS Sexual Safety in Healthcare Charter when it was launched in 2023.

‘We encourage anyone with concerns about staff conduct to come forward and we will always act swiftly and appropriately in response.'