A general practitioner who operated a private cosmetic dermatology clinic in central London has been struck off the medical register after a tribunal found him guilty of serious sexual misconduct towards a female patient.
Dr Nur Hotaki was found to have exploited a patient who was married with a family and had significant mental health difficulties, despite being aware of her vulnerable circumstances.
The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) ruled that his behaviour fell seriously below the professional standards expected of a registered doctor, describing his actions as deplorable.
Patient’s Relationship With Doctor
Dr Hotaki qualified as a GP in July 2012 and worked as a locum doctor for one or two days each week before the complaint about his conduct emerged.
He also founded Hotaki Cosmetic Dermatology in central London in September 2019, operating the business as its sole owner.
Patient A began receiving treatment at his clinic in 2021.
The tribunal heard that an inappropriate relationship developed between them at some point during their association.
The patient’s identity and specific dates relating to the incidents were withheld from the tribunal’s published judgment to protect her anonymity.
VIP Treatment Offer and Explicit Messages
The tribunal heard that Dr Hotaki expressed disappointment when Patient A indicated that she intended to receive treatment elsewhere, telling her that he missed her.
When she subsequently agreed to return to his clinic, he offered her what he described as the “VIP treatment”.
In her statement to the tribunal, Patient A said she understood the offer as a proposition to have sex with him.
She explained that although VIP treatment was an actual service provided by the clinic to high-end clients, Dr Hotaki was using the expression to offer her a sexual relationship.
The doctor disputed her account, but the tribunal accepted the patient’s evidence.
The pair also exchanged explicit messages over a period of time. In one text, Dr Hotaki instructed her to delete their conversations, writing: “Make sure you delete these messages.”
Patient Describes Unwanted Physical Contact
Patient A also detailed several incidents involving physical contact during appointments in 2023.
She alleged that Dr Hotaki passionately kissed her on the lips before giving her another kiss while she was lying on the treatment couch.
On a separate occasion, he slapped her bottom quite hard while making an exclamation similar to “woo hoo”.
During the same appointment, he complimented her appearance, telling her: “I like the way you dress, because you are a woman of class.”
The tribunal also heard that Dr Hotaki had spoken to her about experiencing an erection while getting off a train, explaining that he had needed to cover it with his manbag.
Doctor Aware of Patient’s Mental Health Difficulties
Evidence presented to the tribunal established that Dr Hotaki knew Patient A had significant mental health difficulties and was taking medication for her condition.
On one occasion, the patient attended an appointment after drinking alcohol and informed him that she had consumed two glasses of prosecco.
Patient A later said she came to realise that she had been in a vulnerable state during the period in which the incidents occurred.
The tribunal concluded that her behaviour should have made it apparent to Dr Hotaki that something was seriously wrong and that she was vulnerable.
It found that he had taken advantage of her circumstances despite knowing about her difficulties.
Restrictions Ignored While Investigation Continued
The MPTS was notified of Dr Hotaki’s inappropriate conduct and, in November 2023, sent him a letter imposing restrictions while the disciplinary process was pending.
The letter instructed him not to treat female patients without another person present.
However, the tribunal heard that he continued seeing female patients without supervision, and the matter was subsequently reported to the regulatory service.
Tribunal Orders Doctor’s Removal
In its final decision, the MPTS concluded that Dr Hotaki had failed to put Patient A’s care first and had instead pursued a sexual relationship with her.
The tribunal found that his actions represented serious professional misconduct and that he had shown no clear empathy towards the patient.
It also determined that he knew she was vulnerable and had deliberately taken advantage of that vulnerability.
The panel stated that his behaviour was morally culpable and that fellow medical practitioners would regard his misconduct as deplorable.
It further concluded that he presented a risk to patient safety and that allowing him to continue practising would undermine public confidence in the medical profession.
The tribunal determined that his fitness to practise was impaired and that removing him from the medical register was the only proportionate sanction.
Dr Hotaki was therefore struck off the medical register.
