A doctor in the United Kingdom has been charged with sexually assaulting 38 patients while working at major hospitals in the West Midlands, the Crown Prosecution Service has announced.
Nathaniel Spencer, 38, from Quinton, Birmingham, has been charged with 15 counts of sexual assault, 17 counts of assault by penetration and nine counts of sexual assault of a child under 13.
Spencer also faces three counts of assault of a child under 13 by penetration, and one count of attempting to assault by penetration.
The charges relate to alleged offences against 38 patients at the Royal Stoke University Hospital in Stoke-on-Trent, and Russells Hall Hospital in Dudley, between 2017 and 2021, according to the Crown Prosecution Service.
When asked whether multiple children were involved in the case, the CPS and Staffordshire Police said they could not provide further details at this time.
Spencer is scheduled to appear at the North Staffordshire Justice Centre on January 20, 2026.
The CPS said the decision to charge Spencer came after a “detailed and complex investigation by Staffordshire Police.”
Spencer has been suspended from practicing medicine in the UK while the investigation continues.
He was a former resident doctor, previously known as a junior doctor, who worked at the University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust between August 2017 and August 2020.
Spencer later worked as a resident doctor on placement at The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust from August 2020 to April 2021.
Both hospital trusts have set up special helplines for patients who have concerns or questions about the care they received from Spencer.
Dr Paul Hudson, the Dudley Group’s operational medical director, acknowledged the impact of the news on patients and staff.
“We understand that many of our patients, staff, and people in the wider community will find this news very distressing,” Dr Hudson said.
The trust said it had been working with police throughout the investigations.
The University Hospitals of North Midlands said it could not comment further because of the ongoing criminal process.
“We would like to reassure the public that the safety and well-being of our patients and their relatives are our highest priority,” a UHNM statement said.
The General Medical Council, which regulates doctors in the UK, said it had taken action to prevent Spencer from practicing while it investigates whether he is fit to practice medicine.
Its investigation will continue once the criminal proceedings have concluded, the GMC said, adding that Spencer would remain suspended until that time.
The case has raised serious concerns about patient safety in UK hospitals and the screening procedures for medical professionals.
Hospital authorities are urging any patients who received care from Spencer during his time at
either hospital and have concerns to contact the dedicated helplines set up by the trusts.
