Psychiatrist 'slept with patient'

The woman's evidence to the GMC will be in private

A psychiatrist had an affair with a patient he was treating for depression, a medical tribunal has heard.

Dr Emmanuel Idoko slept with the 36-year-old while she was a resident at Rochdale's Birch Hill Hospital, the General Medical Council (GMC) heard.

Dr Idoko, of Capesthorne Walk, Denton, has admitted kissing and having oral sex with the married mother-of-two.

But he denies having intercourse with the woman, who was suffering alcoholism and had attempted suicide in the past.

He also denies that his fitness to practice is impaired by his misconduct.

'Affair revealed'

The GMC's Fitness to Practice panel, sitting in Manchester, was told the woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had been sexually abused by her father and been beaten by her husband.

Dr Idoko, who was born in Nigeria, was a senior house officer at the hospital and began treating her in March 2004.

They met secretly at the doctor's quarters and he frequently telephoned her late at night.

The affair became public when she told a nurse and Dr Idoko was quizzed by hospital authorities and suspended on full pay while an inquiry was carried out.

The hearing, chaired by Dr Nigel Hester, said the woman's evidence would be heard in private.