Doctors in the dock

Seven doctors at a private clinic for heroin addicts were accused today of irresponsible prescribing in the biggest case ever to come before the General Medical Council. One patient died when he was allegedly sent away with a "DIY home detox kit".

The seven are accused of serious professional misconduct in their controversial treatment. The General Medical Council has never had to deal with so many doctors in a single case in its 145-year history.

If found guilty, the doctors will not only be struck off, but the entire way addicts are treated will also have to be overhauled.

The seven worked at the Stapleford clinic based in Belgravia and Stapleford Tawney, Essex, where about 200 heroin addicts are treated. They face a 33-page indictment alleging "inappropriate or irresponsible" over-prescribing of drugs, failure to monitor some patients and disregard for the risk that such large quantities could be sold on to other addicts.

Those accused include the centre's medical director Dr Colin Brewer, who faces allegations involving 13 patients, and his deputy, Dr Anthony Haines.

In one case Dr Brewer is alleged to have prescribed a "DIY home detox" course for a patient who died barely a week later. The doctor's instructions to the patient's mother, who was caring for him, were "complex, unclear, confusing and inadequate", the hearing was told.

The patient, 29, was placed on the programme which involved sedation and died in his sleep "as a result of aspiration of vomit by reason of the use by him of the drugs prescribed by you".

Another patient, 43, was prescribed morphine and underwent in-patient detox but suffered "difficulties" and became "violent" towards his girlfriend, the GMC heard. In this case, Dr Brewer is said to have failed to perform an adequate initial assessment on the patient. Two days later the man took an overdose of his medication, the GMC heard.

It is alleged the doctor then prescribed more drugs, including temazepam, and directed the prescription be picked up by others regardless of the potential threat that it could be sold on to other addicts. A month later the patient told Dr Brewer he had been using heroin for the past three weeks and the doctor increased his dose of morphine.

In another case, a 23-year-old woman was placed on in-patient detox without Dr Brewer responding to her medical needs arising from her excessive drinking, anorexia and depression, it is alleged.

The NHS has long put the responsibility on addicts to wean themselves off drugs. The Stapleford centre has adopted a more liberal policy, prescribing drugs to take patients out of the black market and bring them stability.

The other doctors before the GMC are Dr Hugh Kindness, Dr Nicolette Mervitz, Dr Martin O'Rawe, Dr Ronald Tovey and Dr Timothy Willocks.

The case continues.