A SPECIAL debate is to take place in Parliament on the "health crisis" in Worcestershire, following calls from a county politician.

West-Worcestershire MP Sir Michael Spicer secured the Commons debate, set to take place at 2.30pm tomorrow.

The issues to be discussed include the decision to suspend plans for eight new or improved county GP surgeries following Government funding changes, and also, the massive £25m debt facing Worcestershire's health budget.

The news comes after Sir Michael met the Minister for Health, Dr Stephen Ladyman MP, at the Department of Health's headquarters, on Tuesday.

Sir Michael reiterated fears to the Minister that the decision to freeze plans for new or improved surgeries in Worcester, Malvern, Pershore, and Upton-upon-Severn, would have a knock-on effect on two new proposed community hospitals in Malvern and Pershore.

South Worcestershire Primary Care Trust, which was spearheading the plans that would have seen GP surgeries brought into the 21st Century, offering state-of-the-art healthcare, was forced to suspend the projects in February.

It was thought the £3.5m needed for the surgeries was "in the bag", but the Government cash pot for such schemes has been restricted - which means it is likely the plans will fall victim to a cash shortfall of millions of pounds.

"The Minister claimed that the go-ahead had never been given by Central Government for these new medical centres," said Sir Michael.

"He said that the next step was for the Trust to indicate a priority ranking for these centres, some of which would no doubt receive funding in the near future.

"There are a number of issues here which I shall wish to pursue in preparation for the debate on Friday - for instance, whether the Trust accepts that the go-ahead was not given for the medical centres."

He will also discuss recent claims that the PCT has insufficient funds to implement the new GP contracts which will see doctors' salaries being increased in exchange for improved primary care.

These claims have been strongly denied by the South Worcestershire PCT, which insists that it has enough funds to pay for the new increased doctors' contracts.