A Hackney GP who was invited to Buckingham Palace five years ago to celebrate her long-standing service to the NHS is retiring this week.

Dr Neela Gadhvi was over the moon to discover her colleagues, friends and family bad thrown a surprise party for her last Thursday at Yum Yum Thai restaurant in Stoke Newington.

“It was a total surprise,” said the 69-year old who joined the The Gadhvi Practice alongside her husband at the Fountayne Road Health centre in the 80s, and who has worked for the NHS for 30 years now.

“My husband told me it was a medical meeting, I was in two minds and not very keen to go, but he said I must go to support the doctor who was chairing the meeting.

“It was a total surprise for me to find my colleagues and staff - I was in tears, I couldn’t believe it, it was very emotional.”

Dr Gadhvi has mixed feelings about retirement.

“I’m feeling sad to leave everyone, I really enjoyed looking after my patients and working with my colleagues, it was a like a big family,” said Dr Gadhvi who has three children of her own.

“Some of my patients are really like my own family, they are so close to me and they talk about their families and their problems.”

“I think I’ll have to look after myself now which I couldn’t do all these years, I’ll go to the gym, do yoga and music which I love and look after my six grandchildren, and I’ll be going on holiday of course.”