THE chairwoman of Oxfordshire's Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee has written to the Health Secretary over the perilous state of GP funding in the county.

Yvonne Constance has called on Jeremy Hunt to review the level of funding given to clinical commissioning groups for primary care.

It is understood that Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group asked NHS England for £50m for the expansion and development of GP practices - but received only £2m.

Ms Constance said: "HOSC is aware of the difficulty recruiting and retaining GPs, and the need to update premises and infrastructure to deliver a sustainable service.

"Cumulatively this risks a detrimental impact on access to essential care and places new pressures on neighbouring practices."

In the letter she noted the recent closures of Deer Park Medical Centre in Witney and North Bicester Surgery as a result of contractual and recruitment pressures.

She added: "A planned expansion of the Wantage Health Centre has been denied just as 5,000 new homes are being built nearby, bringing an extra 12,000 residents to the local area in need of GP services."

Last month proposals for an overhaul of primary care in Oxfordshire were approved by OCCG but Ms Constance warned: "Without a significant increase in the funding for general practice across Oxfordshire, the committee questions the viability of this plan and has grave concerns about the impact of transformation proposals on local people and services."

OCCG has been contacted for comment.