A DOCTOR who punched a woman during a violent fracas in a flat has been suspended – but will keep his job.

Dr Abdul Basit grabbed the woman, also a doctor, by the throat during a string of arguments and punched her in the face, a tribunal heard.

He mocked the woman, known only as Dr A, about her academic record and this developed into a violent confrontation between her, Basit and another doctor in the Brighton flat.

The other doctor, referred to as Dr B, dialled 999 and the police attended.

The fracas happened after a meal at a restaurant.

Basit was heard “screaming and shouting” and a fight broke out when Dr B intervened.

The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service hearing was told Basit punched Dr A in the face and on the ear, then hit Dr B.

Dr A said she suffered swelling and bruising to her left eye.

Basit was arrested and questioned by police but no action was taken against him.

The Argus:

He was later reported to the General Medical Council.

Basit was found guilty of serious professional misconduct after the GMC accused him of a “pattern of emotional, psychological and verbal abuse” towards Dr A.

He was given a four-month suspension after he promised to improve his anger management problems.

The fight happened at Dr B’s flat in Brighton.

He overheard the woman crying as Basit was berating her about her academic record.

Dr B knocked on the door and Dr A left the room but, it was alleged, Basit then challenged Dr B to a fight.

Basit initially denied wrongdoing claiming the victim wanted to “decimate him”.

He produced footage of the fight which he had “accidentally” recorded on his mobile phone.

Dr A said Basit “had physically assaulted [her] on many occasions, the tribunal heard.

It was told: “The nature of these assaults [was] a lot of pushing and initially grabbing [her] by the throat on four or five occasions.”

The tribunal found the allegation of punching Dr A and Dr B proved.

It also found the accusation of pushing, shoving and squeezing Dr A’s neck proved.

It concluded: “The tribunal noted that Dr Basit has been working during the course of the investigation and these proceedings and that there has been no suggestion of any risk to patient safety.

“It therefore considered whether it was otherwise in the public interest to impose an immediate order.”

It said immediate suspension was “not necessary as it considered that the substantive order was sufficient to address the public interest concerns, particularly the maintenance of public confidence in the medical profession”.

It said Basit’s registration would be suspended 28 days from when notice of the decision was served upon him, unless he lodged an appeal.