MENTALLY-ill patients in Pershore and Evesham are being declined treatment as part of cutbacks in services.

Patients with mild to moderate mental health problems are being rejected or redirected by Community Mental Health Teams across Wychavon.

The cutbacks have been made as the Government is targeting services to people with serious mental illness.

This means staff have less time and cash to deal with people who are suffering from problems which are not classed as "high priority".

The cuts have been heavily criticised by GPs in the area, who are unhappy at having to deal with conditions where they have less cash and more work.

"A service will no longer be able to be provided to people with mild problems as they are concentrating on severe mental health problems, and everyone else can go to hell," said Dr Glenn Ralphs, of Abbottswood Medical Centre in Pershore.

"The biggest users of mental health services are those people with mild mental illness.

"We have got to stand up and be counted, as it cannot go on like this."

The move to redirect or refuse patients was made after a meeting between representatives of Community Mental Health Teams and Wychavon Primary Care Group.

It was agreed to be more stringent to make sure resources reach the right people so the Government's National Service Framework can be met.

"Teams are having to prioritise their work much more stringently and, in some cases, reject or redirect referrals made to the team to ensure available resources are targeting the most vulnerable," said locality manager Martin Leeder in a letter to GPs.

"But the majority of referrals made to the teams are accepted."

A spokeswoman from Evesham and Pershore MIND said the charity was unable to comment on the move.