PATIENTS have waved a fond farewell to a doctor after 30 years’ service at a practice he built up from scratch.

Dr Alex Khot has left the Links Road Surgery in Portslade he helped found in 1987 and which now has more than 6,000 patients.

Patients including city councillor Dawn Barnett said the 66-year-old doctor would be sorely missed from what was considered to be one of the best GP practices in the city.

Dr Khot said he was overwhelmed by the warm goodbye from patients on his last day on Wednesday and said he was proud that he had been able to build up the flourishing practice from nothing with the support of his colleagues.

The London-born doctor moved to Brighton in 1979 and worked at both the Royal Sussex County Hospital and Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital before entering into general practice.

He said he would spend his retirement with his grandchildren, sea kayaking and working on his allotment.

Cllr Barnett said: It is a wonderful surgery, definitely the best in the area and possibly in the whole city and Dr Khot will be sorely missed.

“This is like a proper family doctors where everybody knows your name.”

Dr Khot's practice rapidly grew in size form its small beginnings and he was joined by a second GP before buying a building next door and expanding so they could cope with demand.

The GP practice is looking to recruit a replacement but for the time being Dr Khot’s patients will be shared between the three other doctors at the practice.

These are Peter Alderman, who takes over as senior partner, Julie Ebbage and Nicola Coleman.

There is also support from another GP, Amilia Alifrangis.

News the practice intends t replace Dr Khot is good news for patients as surgeries across the city and around the country are coming under increased pressure and demands due to a national shortage of GPs.