PATIENTS under the care of a Skipton health centre could have their operations delayed indefinitely because of lack of funds.

Doctors at the Fisher Medical Centre in Coach Street, have suspended all non-urgent waiting list admissions, so that money can be used for urgent cases over the winter.

Approximately 110 local people are awaiting treatment for a wide range of illnesses.

Shelagh Marshall, a North Yorkshire County Councillor and non-executive director for the North Yorkshire Health Authority, said urgent cases would continue to be priority.

She said: "The decision to suspend treatment for those on the waiting list will be decided on clinical need and will be non-emergency cases.

"It is important to stress that anyone needing urgent treatment such as emergency cases will continue to be first priority as they are now."

The suspension of the waiting lists is due to a number of GP fundholding practices in the North Yorkshire Health Authority area overspending in 1996/97 by £855,000.

This has had a domino affect on spending for the budget in 1997/98, forcing GPs to compensate.

Jenny Hutchinson, practice manager for the centre added: "In 1996/97, activity was higher than the previous year, and our expenditure crept up and up. Knowing what we had done last year and with the budget cut this year we knew we just wouldn't cope.

"The situation is certainly not due to mismanagement of the budget. It is due to a budget cut this year. We realised at the beginning of the year we would not have enough money, so we tried to stage it very carefully, working closely with the Airedale NHS Trust. However, it became apparent in November that if we didn't cut back we would not have enough for emergency treatment."

Mrs Hutchinson said all the patients involved had been informed by letter and that each case was being considered on its merits.

She said: "Each case is being looked at on an individual patient basis by consultants and our own doctors, and we have told all the patients if the situation changes we will get in touch."

Patients who need operations concerned with the heart will not be affected by the action, and those who need treatment for cancer or the actually investigation of the illness will not be affected either.

Mrs Hutchinson added that 40 people on the waiting list would also be helped by a new Government initiative to give priority treatment to those patients who have been waiting a year or more.

The practice, which was relocated from Otley Street to a purpose-built building in Coach Street a few years ago, has a total of eight GPs and one registrar.

Any individual patient inquiries should be made to Jenny Hutchinson on 01756 799622, extension 210.

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