Bucks GP allowed to practise again after being caught drink-driving

Dr Haroon Butt, a GP in Milton Keynes, was made the subject of an interim suspension by the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service in January 2023.

It followed his appearance in court for drink-driving in January 2022, the first time he had ever committed an offence.

Dr Butt was sentenced to 12 weeks imprisonment suspended for 12 months and disqualified from driving for 36 months after police discovered he was approximately "five times the legal limit". 

The tribunal service decided to suspend him until any future fitness to practise hearing, it has emerged.

However, following a review on the papers hearing held on June 22, 2023, the Legally Qualified Chair determined that Dr Butt’s fitness to practise is no longer impaired by reason of his conviction and his suspension was revoked with immediate effect.

After this story was published, a tribunal was heard in June said the Original Panel found Dr Butt’s fitness to practice to be impaired by reason off his conviction.

The Original Panel concluded that Dr Butt lacked insight into the impact of his actions on others and the reputation of the profession. The Original Panel determined to suspend Dr Butt’s registration for a period of 6 months.

Dr Butt was then asked to provide documents relating to feedback from any professional support he had undertaken relating to the issues raised in the January hearing.

He was also asked to provide evidence on his strategies to address the risk of drink driving again.

After providing this information, the tribunal hearing accepted Dr Butt’s statement and diary that he recognises the impact his actions had on the reputation and standing of the profession.

He also recognises that his actions were due to his inability to cope with stress and has put in place a support mechanism to help him in the future should such stress arise again.

Therefore, the tribal ordered Dr Butt’s current period of suspended registration to revoked with immediate effect.