THE NHS budget in York is facing yet more cuts, leaving basic services under threat unless emergency funding is found, a councillor claimed today.

Liberal Democrat Cllr Chris Cullwick said he understood the Vale of York Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) had been placed in a “Capped Expenditure Process’ by NHS England.

He claimed this move could leave the CCG, which covers an area including York, Selby, Tadcaster, Easingwold and parts of East Yorkshire including Pocklington, unable to meet its requirements under the NHS Constitution, such as minimum waiting times.

Cllr Cullwick, vice chair of City of York Council’s health scrutiny committee, raised concerns about the funding crisis at a health and wellbeing board meeting this afternoon.

He said he had written to the Health Secretary to ask for urgent consideration to be given to extra NHS funding in York to prevent local services becoming unviable.

“Unless emergency funding is found, then basic services will be under threat," he said. "If NHS spending in York is reduced yet further, as we fear may be the case, then it is hard to see how the CCG will be able to meet its obligations under the NHS Constitution, such as 18-week maximum waiting times and 2-week maximum waiting times for cancer.”

Phil Mettam, accountable officer at the CCG, said the capped expenditure process had been ordered because NHS England had not accepted the CCG's plans for 2017/18 and 2018/19 because of increased costs.

It meant the CCG, its Scarborough and Ryedale counterpart, and the York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, had to work together on a financial plan for 2017/18 which contained costs.

He said there would be public engagement, including roadshows, allowing people to say what was important to them, but this had been delayed because the General Election had put the organisation in 'purdah.'

The CCG is classed as being in special measures because of ongoing financial struggles and is being overseen by NHS England.

It is facing a mounting deficit, finishing the 2016/17 year with a deficit of  £23.8m. Next year’s deficit is predicted to be £44.1m and £53.9m by 2018/19.

The Press revealed in March that the CCG intended to cut £50 million from NHS services in the York area over the next four years, with areas targeted including elective orthopaedics,continuing healthcare and high-cost drugs.

The paper revealed last month that seriously ill people could be given out-of-area care placements away from York, in areas which are less expensive.