Hospital appointments and operations are being delayed as long as possible to help save money.

Eastbourne Downs Primary Care Trust (PCT) has told hospitals in its area that patients referred by their GP for a routine matter will have to wait up to 13 weeks for their first outpatient appointment.

They will also have to wait six months for a non-urgent operation.

Although this is still in line with Government targets, Eastbourne MP Nigel Waterson has warned this could lead to a backlog of cases in the future.

The instruction, which affects Eastbourne District General Hospital and The Conquest Hospital in St Leonards, will be in force until April.

Exceptions will be made for patients who are categorised as clinically urgent, patients already provided with an appointment or operation date and paediatric, cardiology, pain management and neurological conditions.

PCT chief executive Gina Brocklehurst said: "People must understand that we need to get away from the financial cycle of deficit.

"We must have balanced budgets to give GPs the maximum opportunity to realign services to patient-need locally. The PCT must balance service improvement with economic realities."

PCT director of finance Chris Hix said the move should provide a £1.3 million saving, which will go a long way towards the estimated £1.5 million deficit being faced by the PCT at the end of the financial year.

Cases will be assessed so patients can be seen more quickly should their condition worsen.

PCT chairwoman Mary Colato said: "I want to reassure patients they will not have to wait any longer than the national target for waiting.

"The decision is in line with other local PCTs who are facing similar problems."

Mr Waterson said: "I appreciate this directive does not apply to clinically urgent cases, or to certain specialities, but it does appear that a significant number of local people will now have to wait longer than would otherwise have been the case for their operation or outpatient appointment.

"That is why I have written to the PCT, voicing my concern and asking how many patients will be affected. They must have a good idea, because they have estimated that £1.3 million will be saved as a result.

"It is said this will still mean people being treated within Government targets but for those people in some pain or discomfort this may be little consolation if they could have been treated earlier.

"How much of a backlog will have built up by April?"

The NHS in Sussex is under severe financial pressure with many hospital trusts facing deficits of millions.

Cost-cutting measures have included closing beds, a ban on expensive agency staff and not filling vacant posts.

The crisis has escalated for hospitals in recent years because because they have become increasingly busier but have not had the funding to match it.