A HEALTH trust has stepped in after patients were given just two days notice to find alternative GPs after their surgery closed.

NHS South East Essex terminated Dr Hasmukhlal Shah’s contract after the General Medical Council found him guilty of misconduct for groping a patient.

A deal to allow the trust to lease Dr Shah’s Rochford Road Surgery, in Southend, also fell through at the last minute, leaving the trust with very little time to inform 1,900 patients.

The move prompted complaints from patients, who feared they would struggle to find other GPs.

However, NHS South East Essex says patients have now been temporarily offered the services of the Carnarvon Road Medical Centre, in Southend, while they look for new surgeries.

However, Jean Sweeting, 70, who is in a wheelchair because of a chronic spinal condition, said she will still struggle to find a doctor’s surgery near her home.

She said: “I don’t know what’s going to happen. We had two days’ notice telling us we hadn’t got a GP any more. The receptionist at Dr Shah’s surgery recommended we try a GP in Eastwood, but they said we were 100 yards out of their catchment area.

Mrs Sweeting is looked after by her 78-year-old husband, Cyril, but he is also in poor health. Neither wanted to leave Dr Shah’s surgery.

Mrs Sweeting added: “I have been with Dr Shah for 25 years and all I can say is he was the best doctor I have ever had.

“The Dr Shah I know is a caring man. It was such a shock to hear he was going.”

Ian Stidston, interim director of community and primary care at NHS South East Essex, said: “We wrote to all of Dr Shah's patients as soon as we could, explaining the situation, and advising them of the alternative arrangements that had been put in place.

“Patients who are happy with this arrangement do not need to take any further action and can start accessing services immediately by contacting the practice on 01702 466340.

“Any patient who is still unsure about how to access GP services should contact our PALS team on 01702 224642 for advice."

Dr Shah was taken off the medical register for a year, in July 2009, after a General Medical Council concluded he carried out examinations on a patient without offering a chaperone, and had touched her “in a sexually motivated” way.

NHS South East Essex removed him from its medical performers list, preventing him from working as a GP in the PCT’s area. Last year he lost an appeal in the High Court against the decision.