PRIMARY Care Trusts like Redditch and Bromsgrove PCT, which have stayed in the black, should not be forced to help pay off NHS debts, a county councillor has said.

Philip Gretton, who represents Redditch South on Worcestershire County Council, raised his concerns about the "top slicing" of local PCTs in order to help balance health service books.

His comments were made after the Strategic Health Authority (SHA), under Government order, announced PCTs which under-spend would be forced to transfer their savings to the NHS Bank, rather than spend them locally.

Such PCTs face being penalised because they made a concerted effort to stay in credit.

"I understand the need to make savings but what I cannot understand is the way these savings are being enforced -- I blame the Labour Government," said Mr Gretton.

At a recent full meeting of the county council, Mr Gretton and fellow Conservative members voted in favour of lobbying the SHA about the top slicing of PCTs.

He is also concerned the reduction of PCT allowances will have a knock-on effect to some of the services for which funding is a shared responsibility, such as social services.

"We will have to then put more money in ourselves to achieve the same objectives," he said.

"And if there is less health service money, people will be discharged from hospital earlier, which will again put a bigger burden on the social service infrastructure."

Mr Gretton added: "I am not saying the substantial savings are not needed but I do feel if they are enforced in this way, they will be extremely disruptive to other services provided by the council."