A Sydney GP behind bars for sexually assaulting 10 female patients has been banned from practising medicine for at least 12 years.
Sharif Mohammad Abdul Fattah grossly breached the standards expected of a medical practitioner, the NSW Civil and Administrative tribunal said on Thursday.
The then 62-year-old, who maintains his innocence, was jailed in 2019 for 16-and-a-half years with a non-parole period of 11 years.
A District Court jury found him guilty of 13 counts of sexual intercourse without consent and five counts of assault with act of indecency.
He was found to have assaulted women who had presented with symptoms including rashes, coughs, bites, back and pelvic pain and vitamin deficiencies at a Sydney clinic during 2016 and 2017.
The sentencing judge noted the exploitation of the doctor/patient relationship, as well as the significant and lasting psychological harm caused by sexual abuse.
"It is evident here that the offender's actions did cause significant psychological harm to at least nine of his victims and for some of those victims the harm was profound," the judge said.
"They felt violated and at the same time confused as to what the offender had done and later questioned their own behaviour in failing to stop the offender."
Fattah attended the disciplinary hearing by video link from jail.
"The respondent explained that he was proposing to appeal his convictions and sentences and was concerned that the proceedings now before the tribunal could deny him procedural fairness," the tribunal said.
"The respondent also acknowledged that he was not proposing to practise medicine again at any time and would submit to any protective measures which the tribunal considered appropriate."
Fattah was told the disciplinary proceedings were entirely separate from any appeal.
He was the subject of 2014 proceedings in New Zealand, accused of wrongfully interfering with female patients during medical examinations.
The NZ Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal later dismissed all charges.
The NSW Health Care Complaints Commission submitted the NZ case would have clearly made Fattah aware of "the necessity to observe professional boundaries when engaging in consultations with female patients".
The tribunal found Fattah guilty of both unsatisfactory professional conduct and professional misconduct.
"The conduct was a gross breach of the trust bestowed upon the practitioner by virtue of his professional status as a medical practitioner.
"The tribunal considers that the convictions of the respondent demonstrate that his improper conduct leads to the conclusion that he is not a fit and proper person to hold registration as a medical practitioner."
His registration was cancelled and he can't apply to be reinstated until 12 years from Thursday's order.
He's also banned from providing any health service during that time.
If he succeeds in his convictions and sentence appeals, he can apply for a variation of the orders.
Australian Associated Press
