A BODY of GPs has voiced concerns over possible cost-cutting measures by the town's Primary Care Trust (PCT).

The Worcestershire Local Medical Committee (LMC) has criticised the Government for forcing PCTs into making more savings as part of efforts to balance NHS books.

The Government asked all PCTs in the country to contribute towards the national NHS shortfall.

Trusts have to contribute to a national NHS "bank" to ensure the whole health service achieves financial balance in 2006/7.

The measures, known as "top slicing", mean PCTs which have underspent have to put money in the NHS bank, while those that have overspent can borrow money for the same fund.

A statement from Worcestershire LMC said: "It is outrageous that our three PCTs which have attempted to live within their inadequate budgets have found their funding top sliced by the Department of Health to provide a fund to help deal with the financial chaos currently affecting the NHS as a whole, including our own acute trust."

And Worcestershire LMC secretary Dr Simon Parkinson said they were concerned any cost-cutting measures would affect patient care.

He said cuts in nearby South Worcestershire PCT would include staffing and mental health services and would also include cuts at Evesham Hospital -- all of which would have a knock-on effect for Redditch and Bromsgrove PCT.

"The Alex and Worcestershire Royal hospitals are struggling to cope with their workload as it is, this is something that affects everybody in the county," he added.

"GPs want it on the record that we understand why they have done it but we don't feel this is good for patient care, particularly when spin from the department is that these things are not affecting patient care."