SIGNIFICANT overspending has prompted South Worcestershire Primary Care Trust's chief executive to start a review of its services.

Mike Ridley has made the decision after analysis suggested the Trust was likely to overspend by about £5m this year.

The potential overspend would be two-and-a-half per cent above the £200m budget.

Mr Ridley said the financial problems of the NHS in Worcestershire had been split between the three Primary Care Trusts in the county when they were formed in April this year.

But an extensive examination showed the Trust had been unable to restore financial balance.

"Clearly, this cannot continue and we need to bring the Primary Care Trust back into financial balance so that we can concentrate on our key objectives of developing services and providing South Worcestershire residents with equal access to high quality care," said Mr Ridley.

"I have, therefore, set in motion an urgent review of services with immediate effect across the south of the county."

The Trust had failed to clear its debts because of the need to reduce waiting times for operations and the growing expense of prescription drugs, he said.

"We've had to put more money into services to hit Government targets for people waiting for treatment.

"The target used to be 18 months; now it's 15 months, and it will soon be 12 months.

"It's meant we've had to buy more services from hospitals. Prescriptions and the cost of drugs have also gone up by 16 per cent on last year."

He said the review would involve discussing the way services were provided with General Practice, Worcestershire NHS Trusts and partner Primary Care Trusts. Teams will be expected to report back in time for the public board meeting in February, next year.