A doctor struck off over a botched circumcision that put a toddler's life at risk is still performing the procedure legally as a layperson, the Guardian has learned. Zuber Bux, 55, was removed from the medical register in 2021 after the General Medical Council (GMC) found him guilty of serious misconduct over the circumcision of a 15-month-old boy with a known heart condition. The GMC panel described his approach as 'cavalier' and said it resulted in a potentially life-threatening hospital admission.
Despite this, Bux continues to advertise his services as a 'circumcision practitioner' in north-west England, including Blackburn, Preston, Bolton, Burnley, Accrington and Nelson. His website states he has been performing circumcisions since 2003 and was a former senior partner at a GP practice, but does not explain why he is no longer registered with the GMC. There is no legal requirement for circumcisers to be medically trained, allowing Bux to operate legally.
Campaigners say this highlights a 'catastrophic failure of safeguarding'. Data obtained by the National Secular Society (NSS) under freedom of information shows Bux is one of three former doctors struck off over botched circumcisions between 2012 and 2022. In a similar case, Mohammad Siddiqui was struck off in 2015 and later jailed for over five years for causing 'gratuitous pain and suffering' in circumcisions.
The GMC panel found Bux failed to consider the boy's congenital cardiac condition, did not adequately inform parents of risks, used insufficient pain relief, and administered excessive liquid morphine. It also found he lacked insight, showed no remorse, and gave no explicit apology. He was also struck off for signing hundreds of bogus sicknotes for his wife's legal firm.
Alejandro Sanchez, head of human rights at the NSS, said: 'The fact that Mr Bux can perfectly legally continue to circumcise boys is a catastrophic failure of child safeguarding that is endangering the lives of boys.' He argued that non-therapeutic circumcision should be deferred until the individual can decide for themselves.
