Trust agrees cost-cutting measures

Savings include a cut in prescribing "inappropriate" medicines

Health chiefs in Cornwall have agreed nearly £3m of cost-cutting measures.

Cornwall's primary care trusts have a combined deficit of more than £34m and are having to make savings.

The Central Cornwall Primary Care Trust is the first to agree a programme of measures in an attempt to balance its finances by the end of the year.

Their near-£3m plan to reduce debt includes delaying proposed investments and reducing prescriptions of 'inappropriate' medicines.

Health bosses will also scrutinise staff vacancies to see if some posts can be left unfilled for a time.

About £450m a year is spent on community health care in Cornwall.

But Trust members say the county is still underfunded and the latest round of cuts has been made with reluctance.