TONY Blair took time out during his trip to Libya and Madrid to deal with the crisis facing plans to revamp eight Worcestershire GP surgeries, the Evening News can exclusively reveal.

The Prime Minister sent a personally-signed letter to Tory MP Peter Luff using the Downing Street mobile communications unit.

The letter was faxed to the House of Commons from the Spanish capital, where Mr Blair was paying tribute to victims of the al Qaida terror attacks. Mr Blair had pledged to investigate problems facing the proposals for the eight GP centres - which were placed on ice after a change in Government funding rules - at Prime Minister's Questions last week.

In his letter, Mr Blair stopped short of intervening to rescue the plans to give patients access to healthcare, dental treatment and a jobcentre on one site.

He said the decision whether to fund the projects must be taken locally by the South Worcestershire Primary Care Trust.

But Mid Worcestershire MP Mr Luff said he had been given a boost by the Prime Minister's response.

He said: "The fact this letter was sent while the Prime Minister was away shows some heads have been banged together. It is encouraging."

Contracts for the eight planned premises should have been signed by the PCT last September for automatic funding - a change to this month's original deadline.

The PCT claims it was only informed of the change last November.

Funding was unlimited, but is now restricted and will have to be shared across the UK's 28 Strategic Health Authorities.

The West Midlands South Strategic Health Authority, which runs Worcestershire's health budget, will also have to divide the money between Herefordshire, Warwickshire and Coventry.

Blair's moves in clinics cash row