NHS hospital that employed Romanian doctor who administered rectal drugs to young boys for his own sexual gratification issues unreserved apology to victims
The hospital trust that employed a doctor who administered rectal drugs to young boys for his own sexual gratification has issued an unreserved apology to his victims.
Dr Iuliu Stan worked at the Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust between 2015 and 2020, but was last year found to have committed the 'unnecessary, invasive and intimate procedures' by a medical practitioners tribunal.
Having trained in his native Romania, Dr Stan moved to the south-west of England where he worked as a locum senior house officer in trauma and orthopaedics.
Twenty-one patients over a five-year period were 'preyed on' in this way, a 2024 tribunal ruled. An undisclosed number were minors.
One victim had their genitals needlessly manhandled by the disgraced medic.
Another, a teenager, had a tube used to empty his bladder inserted into his penis without clinical justification, contracting a bacterial infection as a result.
The tribunal also heard how one patient was so uncomfortable with the doctor's 'strange and distressing' behaviour that he tried to discharge himself from hospital before receiving antibiotics.
Dr Stan, who previously enjoyed an unblemished record, was erased from the medical register with immediate effect by the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) following the findings of the tribunal.
Dr Iuliu Stan. who originally trained in Romania, has been erased from the UK medical register after a tribunal found he subjected men and boys to unnecessary, invasive and intimate procedures for his own sexual gratification
Authorities were alerted to the medic's treatment of patients in 2020 when a father became concerned about the 'length of time' Dr Stan took while giving his child a painkiller via the rectum.
In considering whether his behaviour was sexually motivated, the tribunal noted the patterns of behaviour and which patients he personally gave medication to.
For example, of the 51 enemas Dr Stan prescribed, he only personally administered eight, all to males under the age of 40, including twice for a 17-year-old boy.
In another cited example, Dr Stan administered rectal-based painkillers himself on 277 occasions for male patients, but only once for a female patient.
In contrast, on occasions when Dr Stan prescribed non-rectal painkillers, such as intravenous drips, he didn't administer any personally for either sex.
The doctor defended his actions by claiming the use of rectal painkillers is much more common in Romanian medicine than in the UK.
In a statement, the Royal Cornwall Hospital said: 'We have written to affected individuals to admit liability for the actions of Dr Stan and to offer an unreserved apology to victims.
'We are deeply sorry for the distress caused by his serious professional misconduct and his abuse of the trust placed in him by patients.
'Whilst we must follow due legal process, we will be doing everything we can to bring investigations and claims made by his victims to an early conclusion.'
Patients at Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust (pictured) were subjected to unnecessary anal examinations and medications being inserted into their rectums by Dr Stan
Matthew Jones, from Thompsons' Solicitors medical negligence team, said the firm was representing a 'growing number' of patients.
'We welcome the trust's apology and its recognition of the considerable distress caused to patients by Dr Stan's unacceptable behaviour,' he said.
'Whilst it is impossible to undo the harm caused, this acknowledgment and admission of negligence is an important step in helping patients find closure and holding those responsible to account.'
Mr Jones added: 'The breadth and severity of the alleged misconduct by Dr Stan are deeply troubling.
'Based on the evidence and patterns of behaviour outlined in the tribunal's report, we believe there may be hundreds of victims who suffered under his care.
'We urge anyone who may have been affected to come forward and seek the support they need.'
