HEALTH services in Selby and York have been labelled "top-heavy" with one manager to nearly every two GPs.

Vale of York MP Anne McIntosh has criticised health services run by the Selby and York Primary Care Trust (PCT) - highlighting figures that show a high proportion of managers to the number of GPs.

She said the figures, which have been confirmed as accurate by the Trust, showed there were 119 managers to 262 GPs in the Selby and York area. Of those, 55 were clinical managers.

Ms McIntosh was speaking after a recent Audit Commission report showed the true extent of the trust's financial crisis.

It is currently £9.4 million in the red, but district auditor Mark Kirkham predicted that the figure could rise to a cumulative deficit of £47million by 2007/8 if effective action is not taken.

The MP said: "It does seem extraordinary that we seem to have gone top heavy on bureaucrats and now we are facing a situation where if we're not careful, we may soon see a shortage of GPs.

"I'd like to raise a note of alarm at the growing number of managers - and the seemingly low number of GPs. I'd rather see more GPs.

"If they're top heavy with managers, perhaps we want to streamline the organisation.

"I blame the Government, I don't blame the PCT."

All four Yorkshire PCTs are likely to merge next year as part of a national NHS shake-up, but it is not known where that would leave the debt-facing health services in Selby and York.

A spokesman for the PCT said the 119 managers employed by the trust only represented six per cent of its work force.

He said: "Fifty-five provide clinical management functions for example, managing hospital wards or services such as occupational therapy and community nursing.

"The remaining 64 manage functions such as the commissioning of healthcare services, finance, human resources and facilities.

"A number of these positions are also responsible for services across a wider area, for example, North Yorkshire and are only hosted by Selby and York Primary Care Trust."

John Grogan, Labour MP for Selby hit back at Ms McIntosh's comments. Mr Grogan said: "A huge organisation like the health service needs high-quality managers, administrators and support staff to help run it efficiently.

"What Anne McIntosh neglects to mention is the very significant rises in the number of doctors and nurses in North Yorkshire over recent years which has helped to reduce waiting lists and improve cancer survival rates."

Updated: 10:53 Thursday, September 29, 2005