A surgeon at the centre of a bullying row says he has been gagged by Medway Maritime Hospital.

Gulzar Mufti, who left Medway for Barbados, has slammed the NHS after a report allegedly backed claims he was bullied.

The medic, who worked at Medway Maritime Hospital for 21 years until last month, told the Messenger bullying by fellow staff had been like 'a David Attenborough movie, with seven or eight hyenas getting together to kill a lion'.

He says an independent report supported his claims - but that he has been prevented from showing it to the Messenger after the NHS intervened.

The 64-year-old says representatives for Medway NHS Foundation Trust have warned him not to disclose information in the report.

The trust confirmed it has written to Mr Mufti's lawyers.

Mr Mufti, who was Medway Maritime Hospital's medical director for five years, has written back in protest.

Speaking from Barbados, where he is now a medical director and a professor of urology, he told the Messenger: "I completely respect the confidentiality of the people involved, but this was a grievance that was raised by me.

"I would love to show it to the world, I want people to know this, but I am worried if they drag me through the courts I would get into trouble. I have already spent a lot of money on lawyers."

It is understood the alleged bullying against Mr Mufti arose after he launched procedures for monitoring staff performance.

The report into his claims took 10 months to conclude and was released in March.

Gillingham and Rainham MP Rehman Chishti has a redacted copy, which he sent this week to health secretary Andrew Lansley and the Care Quality Commission.

The MP was set to call for an urgent debate over the allegations in the House of Commons.

The Trust said the report was "confidential".

A spokesman said: "Allegations of bullying are taken extremely seriously. That is why a third party report was commissioned to independently investigate.

"This report was non-definitive of the majority of allegations - actions could be construed as bullying rather than that they were bullying.

"The Trust has concluded the internal grievance process with Mr Mufti, and he has not appealed the outcome of that process."