STAFF at the county's cash-strapped hospitals may turn the heating down and have been asked to cut down on paper in a last-ditch bid to save a further £2m needed to achieve financial targets.

Health chiefs have said no stationery orders may be placed or letters posted unless "absolutely vital", and they are even looking at lowering the temperature as part of a raft of emergency measures drawn up to save £16,500 a day until the end of March - in an attempt to end the financial year in the black.

This is on top of the cuts already made this year, which have included reducing the number of staff by 720, and closing wards to try to make up a £18.7m shortfall in cash. Other proposals include closing maternity and children's services at Redditch and moving them to Worcester.

In a letter to colleagues at Worcestershire Royal Hospital, the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch and Kidderminster Hospital, chief executive of Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust John Rostill said: "We must stop using paper - it is costly.

"No orders are to be placed for printing, stationery and copier paper unless absolutely vital to clinical care."

After it was revealed that postage costs so far this year have already totalled £330,000, he added: "All letters are to be e-mailed where possible and essential hard copy correspondence should be sent by second class post in envelopes no larger than A5."

After a suggestion from a member of the public at the last trust board meeting, director of operations Clive Walsh said he was also looking into turning the central heating down in some areas of Worcestershire Royal Hospital in a bid to save on the bill.

Staff have also been told to minimise the use of company mobile phones, stop ordering non-essential clinical and non clinical supplies, and asked to come up with other money-saving ideas.

The orders are the last attempt to reach financial balance in 2006/07 - an order imposed by the Department of Health - and to stop the trust's deficit of more than £30m, accumulated since it was formed in 2000, growing even more.

Mr Rostill said: "These are draconian measures to avoid as much further spending as we can.

"We will be taking a very robust approach to this and will be taking disciplinary action where necessary."

Chairman Michael O'Riordan said: "This is the final push.

"This vigorous approach will cause pain but it has to be borne if we are to break even. We can't take our eye off the ball."

Pat Fisher, chairman of the trust's patient and public involvement forum said: "Their hands are tied, but whatever happens, it must be ensured that the safety of patients is paramount."