Patients are being turned away from a doctors' surgery in Harrow after a row between health chiefs and the owner.

The Mollison Way Medical Centre, in Mollison Way, Edgware, was closed last Thursday after the practice manager locked herself in, following a dispute with Harrow Primary Care Trust (PCT).

Members of the PCT stood out-side the surgery sending patients to Honeypot Medical Centre, in Honeypot Lane, Stanmore, more than a mile away, where they could be treated by Dr Jacob Kurien, who previously worked at the Mollison Way centre.

Dr Jena Jehan Goldsteine, practice manager, refused to speak to PCT staff after they failed to reach an agreement on how to provide care for the 2,900 patients at the surgery.

The stand-off lasted more than four hours, and the surgery remains closed at the time of going to press.

Dr Goldsteine is retiring from the practice and as the owner of the premises her approval was required for doctors to continue practicing there. However, a new contract with the PCT could not be agreed on.

Sarah Crowther, the chief executive of Harrow PCT, said: "We started negotiating with Dr Goldsteine in April as we knew she would be retiring and continued to negotiate with her until late Wednesday.

"When these broke down we sought alternative arrangements.

"Dr Goldsteine's behaviour to my staff was not acceptable - staff members were subjected to verbal abuse from the doctor.

"We apologise for the inconvenience caused to patients."

Dr Goldsteine claims the PCT acted in a way that endangered patients and said she would be applying for a judicial review.

She said: "They have no right to come to my clinic and harass me.

"They have been calling me and upsetting my patients, you would expect this behaviour in the Third World not Britain."

Pigileti Narashiman, a patient, was shocked to hear of the closure. He said: "It is mystifying. Dr Goldsteine is the one that has made a mess of it not signing the contract.

"She is holding back everything, she should have handed over the practice and just gone away."

Veronica Charles, of Mollison Way, who has been a patient at the surgery for 42 years, said: "It is very sad because we want Dr Kurien to take over the practice.

"A lot of us are not able, and it's terrible for the elderly patients to travel that far."