A MALE nurse kissed a teenage girl's lips as she lay in bed recovering from a back operation, a tribunal heard.

Khaled Al Azzam was looking after the 17-year-old in the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, in Stanmore, the Nursing and Midwifery Council was told.

He stroked her arm, bought her expensive bouquets and kissed her on the mouth days after she had a rod inserted into her back to straighten her deformed spine, it is alleged.

The girl's stepmother told the NMC how she heard what the nurse had done when visiting with the girl's father, her two siblings and her boyfriend in January 2004.

She told the panel: "When we got there she was very sleepy but comfortable.

"When she was awake and talking to us, she seemed fine, happy enough.

"A male nurse came over and introduced himself. He said he had been looking after her.

"He had brought her some flowers. Nice ones, you could tell they were not cheap ones.

"Then he started talking to her, asking how she was, general talk. He was there for a few minutes.

"When he left, T said she didn't really like him. She said she found him a bit creepy.

"I thought he seemed polite enough. Then she asked me 'Did you see him stroke my arm?' "I said 'No'.

"She said while she was in the other ward, she remembered him stroking her head and giving her a kiss.

"I asked where he kissed her and she said on the lips. I said it was OK to stroke her on the head but kissing her was too friendly and was going too far. That was not right.

"Then I said to her that I would have to tell one of the nurses because she didn't want him visiting her again."

The woman reported Al Azzam and he was suspended while an investigation was launched.

Al Azzam, who lives in Manchester and is not attending the hearing in London, denies kissing the girl on the lips on or about January 8, 2004.

He also denies visiting her in bed three times, bringing her a card and flowers and inappropriately stroking her arm.

He denies misconduct and that his fitness to practise is impaired.

The hearing continues.