Bradford GPs are facing a backlog of addicts waiting for treatment three months after Bradford's biggest Drugs clinic closed its doors to patients.

The Bradford Drugs Dependency Clinical Services on Sunbridge Road reached its maximum of 800 registered addicts in April but no extra funding has been allocated.

Now the Local Medical Council, representing Bradford GPs, has written to Bradford Health Authority warning health chiefs of the dangers.

Leader Dr John Givans said family doctors were worried.

He said: "There's concern that there's no secondary specialist service to refer people to. Equally importantly, if GPs are unable to refer, they're in breach of their contract. It's totally unacceptable to us. We must try to get some action on this."

He added that Dr Julian Roberts, of Bradford Health Authority, would meet LMC members in September at the GPs' request.

The Bradford Drugs Dependency Clinical Service, funded by Bradford Health Authority, specialises in drug substitutes such as methadone and has 900 addicts on its books. Service director Dr Michael Ross said he was angry that nothing had been done.

"There's been a lot of talk but little prospect of any change," he said. "Basically we're shut but we will consider individual circumstances by discussions with GPs and their patients. We're trying to be as helpful as possible considering that we're underfunded."

He added that he believed there were enough resources in Bradford but that it was not allocated on the results of drug work being carried out.

A Bradford Health Authority spokesman said it was aware of the situation and working collaboratively with the four Primary Care Groups in Bradford to try to address it.

He said: "The Health Authority has to consider all the issues and look at all potential new ways of finding solutions locally and this process is currently taking place."

Alison Richards, co-ordinator of Bradford's Drug and Alcohol Action Team, said there were not huge quantities of unallocated funding and that work was going on to look at what services were available and what was needed for the future.

Changes to the national provision of drugs services would mean different ways of working and more cash from next April, she added.

But Bradford Community Health Council member Les Vasey blamed a lack of funding for the problem, saying that drugs work was a Government priority and that it should be reflected in work locally.