TWO York GPs have raised concerns about the prescribing practices of a private addiction clinic, where doctors are facing charges of serious professional misconduct.

The Stapleford Centre, based in London and Essex, is at the heart of the biggest case brought before the General Medical Council in its 145-year history.

Seven doctors, some of whom no longer work at the clinic, are accused of inappropriately prescribing methadone.

They are alleged to have mis-prescribed medicine by issuing excessive amounts and the wrong types as well as providing irresponsible combinations of drugs.

All the doctors deny acting improperly.

It is believed the clinic was operating a policy of "maintenance", in contrast to the NHS's tougher approach to weaning people off drugs.

The case was brought after a 29-year-old patient choked on his vomit and died in September 2001 after using a "DIY detox" kit and taking a cocktail of drugs.

Centre founder and a leading world expert on addiction treatment, Dr Colin Brewer, 63, of Belgravia, London, faces the bulk of the charges relating to the controversial treatment of drug addicts. Allegations relate to 16 patients dating back to 1990.

Also accused are Anthony Haines, Hugh Kindness, Nicolette Mervitz, Martin O'Rawe, Ronald Tovey and Timothy Willocks.

Dr David Hartley, of The Surgery on East Mount Road in York, and his then practice partner, Dr Gail Haddock, reported concerns about the clinic in 2001.

Dr Haddock revealed that a York addict, who was a patient had to be admitted to Bootham Park Hospital, in York, after receiving a prescription for a variety of drugs from Dr Tovey.

Dr Hartley went to the addict's home to see what medication had been supplied.

"He thought it was a month's supply," said Dr Haddock, who now practises in the Scottish Highlands.

She wrote to Dr Tovey to check the prescription and express concern at the amount of drugs prescribed, but did not receive a reply for a month.

The GP, who had previously written to the GMC to highlight concerns about the centre, said the treatment of her patient came to light when his worried father visited the York surgery to seek advice.

Andrew Collender, QC, counsel for the GMC, said: "The combination of these drugs was hazardous."

The hearing is expected to last three months.

Updated: 09:03 Saturday, October 09, 2004