A HARROW medical centre is due to close because a GP was found guilty of indecent assault.

Dukes Medical Centre, in Lankers Drive, Rayners Lane, will close on Monday, November 5, leaving 2,000 patients in need of a new practice.

Dr Rajendra B Shukla was convicted on two counts of indecent assault in April 2003 and was subsequently suspended by Harrow PCT as a result.

His name was removed from the medical register, a database of doctors who are legally allowed to practice, by the General Medical Council on June 23, 2004.

Dr Shukla lost an appeal against both his conviction and the decision to strike him off the register - and the centre is now being closed following the conclusion of the appeal process.

Eric Gibbs, 72, of Central Avenue, Rayners Lane, a patient at the centre, said: "I feel very upset about it. The centre is such a convenient place to get to and we have always enjoyed going there.

"There is nowhere else to go that is easy for old people to walk to."

Mr Gibbs said he was only informed about the decision on Saturday, October 20, around two weeks before the centre's planned closing date.

Jonathan Street, a spokesman for Harrow PCT, said: "It is very regrettable that one of our patients will have to travel further but we do not have any option here. We have to close the centre."

Julie Taylor, head of GP contacts at Harrow PCT, said: "The intent was to give five weeks notice for the closure but the letters got caught up in the post office strike."

A number of stand-in GPs have been running the centre since Dr Shukla was suspended but no permanent replacement has been appointed.

Patients from the centre are expected to be absorbed by 20 other practices.

Dr Shukla is due to appear before the General Medical Council again in January, following accusations that he had continued to see patients outside the surgery.