A HOSPITAL doctor accused of bullying and attacking fellow staff has failed in a legal bid to halt a General Medical Council inquiry.

Dr Lukas Van Vuuren, a consultant orthopaedic surgeon at the Friarage Hospital, Northallerton, launched a legal challenge to stop proceedings against him.

But his claim that to press ahead with a full professional conduct hearing would breach his human rights was rejected by Mr Justice Field at the High Court in London.

Dr Van Vuuren is facing a series of allegations dating back to April 1997 which the GMC says amounts to serious professional misconduct.

These are said to include making derogatory remarks about a German national, Dr Jens Lucka, attached to the hospital as a specialist registrar, telling him that he 'should not have come to Britain to practise on British people'; refusing to sign an annual leave form, as requested by Dr Aneel Nihal, and tearing it up and throwing it at him; and accusing Dr Jacob Der Tavitian, a specialist registrar in orthopaedics, of being 'useless' and physically assaulting him.

A GMC committee hearing had already rejected an application to suspend proceedings.

In a statement the GMC said: "The committee has considered the complexity of this case and is of the view that a fair trial can be held."

Dr Van Vuuren, who lives at Thirlby near Thirsk, was suspended after the complaints came to light but has since been reinstated.

A spokeswoman for the South Tees NHS Trust, which runs the Friarage, said: "We can confirm the consultant is working at the Friarage Hospital but as the trust is awaiting the outcome of the GMC hearing, it would be inappropriate to comment any further at this stage."