DOCTORS were not consulted about council health cuts which will damage patient care says a senior Worcestershire GP.

Dr Simon Parkinson, secretary of the Worcestershire Local Medical Committee, says the changes are already undermining the county's sexual health services and reducing support available for those trying to quit smoking.

The smoking cessation service is not provided by GPs as part of their normal contract, meaning no support services will be available unless GPs choose to do the work for free according to Dr Parkinson.

Dr Parkinson says GPs are already overstretched and are choosing to retire early because of an unmanageable workload and lack of additional funding.

He has written to both Cllr Marcus Hart, cabinet member for health and wellbeing, and Simon Geraghty, leader of Worcestershire County Council, about his concerns and those of other county GPs.

Dr Parkinson said in a letter to Cllr Hart: "I regret to say that we still feel that, despite your assurances, appropriate consultation did not take place.

"General practitioners, both as contractors, and providers were not consulted. "The changes that have already taken place have already had a negative effect on practices.

"I refer to the abolition of smoking cessation services. I am afraid we regard the smoking cessation service for pregnant woman as being relatively minor.

"The funding for this service came to the county council with the other public health services.

"This is not an NHS service and is, therefore, not for the NHS to invest in this service.

"That would certainly be an issue for the CCGs (clinical commissioning groups who hold the purse strings for NHS care) not the LMC but we would question whether it is appropriate for the council to have, in effect, kept the funding for this and not provided a service.

"The LMC remains deeply worried about the sexual health service.

"I understand that there is only one person who has bid for this contract and my impression is that this organisation is far from happy with what it is being asked to do.

"We remain concerned about the issue of cervical cytology and training and also the knock on effect that the reduction of service will have on already struggling practices.

"Finally, the 0-19 year old services. "Again, I would stress that you have not consulted with general practice on the matter and the LMC has not had any communication with you. "Such is the concern of the LMC about these matters we would like to invite you to attend a LMC meeting to discuss this matter."

The committee has invited Cllr Hart to its meeting on Thursday, May 12 at 7.30pm at Charles Hastings Education Centre in Worcester.

In his letter to Cllr Geraghty he wrote that it was the 'democratically elected' LMC, around for the last 100 years, which represented GPs, not the county's three Clinical Commissioning Groups (which decide how NHS money is spent locally).

He added: "Sadly too often we are ignored and this seems to be another occasion."

The final issue is the changes to the 0-19 service that could also impact significantly on GPs. The Worcester News reported last July how Chancellor George Osborne ordered councils to find sudden savings to key public health money during his summer Budget.

County Hall was promised £26.5 million for public health initiatives for 2015/16, most of which goes to the likes of rape clinics, addiction centres, the police and district councils to keep people safe.

But Worcestershire was later left facing up to a 12 per cent cut, of around £3.3 million, despite other comparable councils being asked to slash around seven per cent.

The reductions included 10 per cent off the £4.2 million spent on sexual health, 10 per cent from the £2 million on school nurses, 10 per cent off the £1 million on child development services and 10 per cent off the £4.3 million drug and alcohol services.

Cllr Marcus Hart, cabinet member with responsibility for Health and Well-Being said: "We can confirm that these letters have been received and considered. Appropriate responses will be issued directly. This is a matter of private correspondence."