By politics.co.uk staff

The “haphazard” manner in which the government is introducing cuts to the health service could jeopardise care, the British Medical Association (BMA) has warned.

The comments came from BMA chairman Dr Hamish Meldrum at the start of the group’s annual conference.

A poll of 300 branches yielded only 92 responses, the group admitted, but the small data set on offer did suggest that cuts were impacting on service.

A quarter doctors said redundancies were being planned, while two-thirds reported a freeze on recruitment.

New services are being postponed or scrapped, some existing services are being scaled back and restriction are being placed on some GPs’ ability to report patients to specialist care.

Most measures impact on nurses and non-clinical staff, rather than doctors.

“Despite the government’s best assurances that front-line services will be protected, our data show that cuts are already being planned or becoming a reality and that these will have an impact on doctors’ ability to care for patients,” Dr Meldrum said.

The Conservatives pledged to protect NHS from cuts, but saving still have to be found because the health service constantly faces increased costs, mainly due to Britain’s aging population, obesity and the cost of drugs.

A Department of Health spokesman said: “The department is very clear that savings should be implemented in a way that does not affect the quality of services and the secretary of state has been very clear that every penny saved will be reinvested back into patient care.”