PRESS ASSOCIATION -- Health managers are restricting access to potentially life-saving scans that diagnose diseases like cancer in an attempt to save money.
Figures obtained by the GP newspaper show that 28% of primary care trusts want GPs to reduce the number sent for diagnostic scans such as MRI, CT and ultrasound.
The research also found that some PCTs are supporting practices to reduce inappropriate scans or even limiting access to them.
The moves by health managers are despite the Government giving GPs access to diagnostic scans in its cancer strategy published last year.
The initiative was an attempt to improve UK cancer survival rates, which are lower than many European countries.
The figures were collected by the newspaper after asking 116 PCTS under a Freedom of Information Act request.
BMA GP committee negotiator Dr Chaand Nagpaul told GP newspaper: "It is simplistic and misguided just to focus on costs. An intelligent approach would be to have guidelines for appropriate use of diagnostics and incorporate them into the pathway."
Royal College of General Practitioners chairwoman Dr Clare Gerada said restrictions and targets on accessing diagnostics "deprofessionalises" GPs and would delay diagnosis of conditions like cancer.
She explained: "How can a junior doctor in a hospital refer for an ultrasound, but I - with 25 years' experience - have to refer a patient to a specialist?" This is about money and finances driving behaviour by the PCT - not about putting patients first," she said. "We cannot move towards PCTs acting as though they are in the consultation room."
Sarah Woolnough, Cancer Research UK's director of policy, said: "While it's perfectly reasonable for PCTs to review referral patterns - which could help identify low referrers who would benefit from more support - it is very worrying to hear of PCTs setting referral targets and decommissioning direct access to tests that could speed up a cancer diagnosis."