claimed his life.

And yesterday Dr. Peter Clayton's former patients were given a telephone number to ring to soothe alarm.

Dr. Clayton was tested HIV positive while at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital in 1991.

But health chiefs ruled he was no risk to patients, and let him continue practising. He was told to take extra precautions.

Yesterday, however, a storm blew up in the United Kingdom after it emerged Dr.

Clayton died six months ago from AIDS. He was 28.

While stricken, Dr. Clayton worked at three hospitals and a GP's surgery.

An MP condemned Mid Glamorgan Health Authority for keeping the AIDS death secret from Dr. Clayton's patients.

The Opposition Labour Party's Welsh health spokesman Mr. Rhodri Morgan hit out: "Patients should have been told from the very beginning.

"It is bound to get out eventually that the doctor died from AIDS and then the panic will be far worse.'' The health authority has set up hotlines, and offered counselling and blood tests to allay fears.

Dr. Clayton, a graduate from the Welsh National School of Medicine, came to Bermuda on a 12-month attachment as part of a training scheme.

It is understood he met his future wife, Sally, here, becoming engaged before flying back to Wales.

He was a junior doctor -- or resident medical officer -- at King Edward VII from August 1, 1990 to July 31, 1991.

His duties would have included diagnosis and prescription, as well as starting intravenous drips, or taking blood samples.

He would have been gloved while doing both these, experts say.

Dr. Clayton continued to work in Bermuda from March to July, 1991 after his supervisors knew he was HIV-positive.

He was AIDS tested after he caught a chest infection.

A hospital spokesman yesterday: "The resident's supervisors concluded at the time that as he was not engaged in invasive procedures, the risk to the public of allowing him to continue to practise was almost non-existent.

"After he was diagnosed, his physician discussed with him the need for him to take extraordinary precautions with his patients. The hospital is satisfied he did so.'' Hospital employees tested HIV positive are reported to the Health Department.

Their fitness to work is decided by the Employee Health Service and the Health Department.

"In this case, they agree that he did not pose such a risk,'' the hospital spokesman said.

"The hospital has no reason to believe this resident officer exposed any patient to an HIV-related risk during the period he worked in Bermuda.'' Any people with concerns should ring Mr. A. Savery, the Hospitals ombudsman, on 236-5144.

Health Minister the Hon. Quinton Edness yesterday said he had accepted the expert ruling that Dr. Clayton posed no risk.

"It is a question of balancing the protection of patients of staff with the rights of individuals who have contracted the virus.'' Mrs. Hilary Soares, unit co-ordinator at Bermuda's hospice for the terminally ill, did not believe Dr. Clayton would have been a risk to patients.

"So long as he took normal precautions such as washing his hands and covering any cuts, I can't see there would have been any risk.'' Mrs. Marisa Sharpe, infection control practitioner at King Edward, said anti-AIDS precautions were made mandatory in January 1993.

These ensured doctors wore gloves and face shields if likely to come in contact with bodily fluids.

"The equipment was always available, and it was common practice to use it,'' said Mrs. Sharpe, a microbiologist.

"We had always recommended what we call universal precautions. Now we have to monitor doctors to ensure the procedures are carried out.'' Mrs. Sharpe said the thrust of the regulations was: "All patients are treated as if they are infected.'' She added: "The precautions protect patients as well as doctors.'' Mrs. Sharpe said doctors now were also able to dispose instantly of syringes and needles -- a potential source of disease.

"They have containers for immediate disposal. This will prevent them getting stuck with a used needle.'' Mrs. Sharpe said Bermuda followed the guidelines of the Atlanta-based Centres for Disease Control.

She added it was not compulsory for doctors to inform anyone they were HIV-infected.

"They would be advised to do so, however,'' she said.

One doctor said Dr. Clayton, although not fully qualified, would have examined "all manner'' of patients.

The Hon. John Stubbs, president of the Medical Society, described Dr. Clayton as "softly spoken, quiet, and likable''.

He criticised the tendency to "ostracise'' AIDS sufferers.