A BLACKBURN GP will find out today what action will be taken against him following the death of a young patient he prescribed metahdone to over the phone.

Francis Quasi Apaloo, 55, was yesterday cleared on a disputed charge of being asked to visit his patient and advise as to his treatment needs.

But the General Medical Council ruled that the facts already admitted were sufficient to leave the doctor open to a finding of serious professional misconduct. It reserved its decision of what action to take, if any, until today.

The hearing was told Dr Apaloo was also very unlikely to have been able to receive any advice if he had tried to contact the undermanned Blackburn Community Drugs Team on a Friday evening such as this. And advice in a Department of Health leaflet about levels of methadone to be prescribed to patients such as Jamie Edmondson, 16, was in many instances "quite simply wrong."

The teenage boy was found unconscious in bed on Saturday March 22 1997 at the Preston New Road young offenders' home in Blackburn after Dr Apaloo had prescribed 60 milligrammes of methadone for him on the previous evening. The cause of death was given as a methadone overdose.

Dr Apaloo, a single-handed GP based at Montague Health Centre, Oakenhurst Road, Blackburn, admits irresponsible prescribing of methadone to Jamie on the evening of Friday March 11 1997 after being phoned by social worker Mrs Jacqueline Connelly from the home.

Dr Apaloo, of Beverley, Wyfordby Avenue, Blackburn, had denied a charge that Mrs Connelly, who had no medical qualifications, had asked him to visit Jamie Edmondson, from Carnforth, and advise on his treatment needs.

Character witnesses were today due to give evidence on behalf of the doctor.

(Proceeding)