HEALTH bosses have defended their decision to suspend a respected eye doctor.

The Castle Point and Rochford Clinical Commissioning Group ordered Dr Mohammed Idrees to stop seeing NHS patients without warning.

The group was said to have issues with the building in Imperial Avenue, Westcliff, from which Dr Idrees runs his eye clinic, including a lack of wheelchair access to toilets, despite plans to move the clinic to new premises.

A spokesman for the group yesterday said the suspension was temporary. “as the service was unable to provide sufficient assurance to support governance arrangements”.

Tricia D’Orsi, chief nurse for NHS Castle Point and Rochford CCG, said: “Making sure our patients receive safe and high quality services, is of utmost importance to us. As commissioners it is very important for us to ensure all services we provide for our local population meet and adhere to specified contractual and governance requirements put in place for providers. The CCG has endeavoured to support Dr Idrees and we would be happy to meet with him to discuss any issues he may have.”