CELEBRATIONS were tinged with shock as funding for seven 21st Century GP surgeries was confirmed - but one of the county's strongest bids was stalled.

Chief executives from the West Midlands' eight primary care trusts met yesterday to decide how to allocate cash to modernise medical practices in the region.

South Worcestershire was successful with seven of eight applications - £3.3m in total - but Pershore's Abbottswood Medical Centre will be separately reviewed on June 2.

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Evening News campaign and Julia Moore, the centre manager, said funding was crucial for the town.

"Our project marries in with all the services in Pershore, especially plans for the new community hospital, so it is vital we do eventually get the go-ahead, she said.

"We missed out on this funding from the strategic health authority (SHA) but we are hopeful that we will receive funding via other means.

"We are fairly confident about the next meeting on June 2, but you can never tell.

West Worcestershire MP Sir Michael Spicer had backed the application in Westminster with a parliamentary debate.

I was surprised by the decision and I don't understand why they have made an exception in this case, he said.

Meeting

"It was part of the deal that there was to be a new centre at Abbottswood and I shall certainly be raising this question with the SHA, which I'm meeting today.

The announcement jeopardises plans for a community hospital in Pershore, which is financially linked to the Abbottswood project.

The Tory MP is today hoping for assurance that this scheme, and a second community hospital in Malvern, will go ahead.

Mike Ridley, south Worcestershire PCT's chief executive will take the case of Abbottswood before the PCT Board meeting on June 2.

The £3.3m will ensure seven cramped surgeries in Worcester, Malvern, Upton-upon-Severn, Pershore, Ombersley and Droitwich are relocated or expanded over three years.

I am absolutely delighted for the practices and patients that will gain from the significantly improved premises, said Mr Ridley.