A RECOVERY plan to resolve the multi-million pound debt crisis facing local health services will be announced "very soon", an MP has said.

York MP Hugh Bayley, and Selby MP John Grogan met Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt yesterday to ask for more time to pay back Selby and York Primary Care Trust (PCT)'s £23.7 million debt.

They were joined by York Hospital's chief executive Jim Easton and Penny Jones, acting chief executive of the PCT. Mr Bayley said: "The recovery plan is almost finalised and the primary care trust and York Hospital will announce an agreement very soon. It is important for the hospital doctors and GPs to be closely involved with managing the recovery plan to produce the quality of care. The recovery will be difficult, but I believe it will be possible for the PCT to balance its books without cuts to essential patient care."

He said they had also discussed York Hospital's application for foundation trust status. He added: "I hope it will be approved because it will help York to provide more and better patient care at lower cost."

Mr Bayley urged Ms Hewitt to allow the PCT more than a year to pay back its debt which is over and above the £22.8 million spending cuts it announced last week.