THE South Worcestershire Primary Care Trust bosses explained this week that the £4m deficit that has occurred in the budget is not because they overspent last year, but because they need to make savings to fund other projects.

In fact, the Trust received a 27.7 per cent rise in its government allocation bringing South Worcestershire's budget up to £287m - £1,013 per head of the population.

This money funds four community hospitals and buys treatment for those living in the Vale, Broadway, Malvern and Tenbury Wells.

Chief executive of the PCT, Mike Ridley said: "Fifty per cent of the money is to invest in areas of mental health and government access targets such as waiting lists for outpatients appointments and in-patient activity.

"The other fifty per cent is to meet the extra costs to implement the new consultant contracts, GP contracts and a new staff pay scale system.

Mid-Worcestershire MP Peter Luff claims the extra funding is not adequate.

He said despite the government awarding the Trust nearly a 28 per cent increase in budget, it still is not enough.

He said: "I believe our capitation is below the English average and have asked for the figures to compare with other counties."