Dr Hope was suspended on full pay

Dr Terence Hope, 57, had been due to return to Nottingham's Queen's Medical Centre on Friday after hospital managers dropped the case against him.

He was accused of taking extra soup or additional croutons from the QMC's restaurant without paying.

The hospital said three operations were cancelled, but the matter was closed.

Mr Hope's wife, Alexandra, said on Thursday: "He has gone straight back to work today because he is that sort of man, he said he wanted to catch up on the mountain of paperwork that has built up.

"His first concern is for his patients, so he decided that he couldn't wait any longer after all that has gone on in the last week."