Foreign-trained doctors commit six in ten cases of sexual misconduct with patients, even though they make up only a third of NHS medics, shock new figures reveal.

They accounted for 23 of 38 proven incidents in the past three years, according to figures obtained by The Mail on Sunday. Allegations include indecent behaviour, sexual assault and even rape.

The alarming statistics have emerged just as the NHS has introduced targets to reduce the numbers of black and ethnic minority staff – almost two-thirds of whom trained abroad – being hauled before disciplinary hearings.

Britain’s 95,000 doctors from black and minority ethnic backgrounds (BME) are more than twice as likely to be referred to the GMC as their white colleagues. There is a similar pattern with other staff such as nurses.

The figures on sexual misconduct were obtained under the Freedom of Information Act following such high-profile cases as Czech-trained Anush Babu (pictured), who spent years secretly filming female patients

NHS chief people officer Prerana Issar, who recently joined from the United Nations, wrote: ‘It is not acceptable that if you come from some backgrounds, you are more likely to enter the formal disciplinary process, stay in it longer and have more career-limiting outcomes. We must change this and quickly.’

A new document gives NHS trusts what it calls ‘aspirational goals’ to reduce the likelihood of BME staff being referred for disciplinary action, so the rates are more in line with white staff.

But there is concern that setting arbitrary targets could let medics who pose a real threat to patients escape investigation. J. Meirion Thomas, a retired consultant surgeon who worked in the NHS for 30 years, said: ‘Complaints of sexual misconduct, and other matters against doctors, should be assessed irrespective of ethnicity. Applying any other criteria risks that some complaints may not be properly investigated.’

A recent GMC report found ‘no evidence of [racial] bias’ in its disciplinary procedures. Instead, it suggested not enough was being done to help BME doctors, with some feeling ‘isolated’ or as if they were ‘treated as outsiders’.

An NHS spokesman said: ‘Where allegations are made it is right that they are thoroughly investigated and any appropriate action taken, regardless of someone’s ethnicity or where they trained. But it is also right that all NHS staff feel they will be treated fairly and not face discrimination, which is what this guidance sets out to achieve.’

The figures on sexual misconduct were obtained under the Freedom of Information Act following such high-profile cases as Czech-trained Anush Babu, who spent years secretly filming female patients.