A decision to delay hospital appointments and operations to save money has been condemned by MP Norman Baker.

The Lewes MP plans to speak to Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt about the move by Eastbourne Downs Primary Care Trust (PCT).

He will also speak to the PCT to find out more about the reasons behind the decision.

The PCT told hospitals in its area, including Eastbourne District General Hospital and Conquest Hospital in St Leonards, that patients referred by their GP for a routine matter must wait 13 weeks for their first outpatient appointment.

They must also wait six months for non-urgent operations. The waits are still in line with Government targets.

The move will last until April and is expected to save the struggling PCT about £1.3 million this financial year.

Mr Baker's constituency includes Seaford and Polegate, whose residents use Eastbourne hospital.

He said: "These instructions are quite simply outrageous and unacceptable.

"The job of the PCT and hospitals should be to ensure patients are treated as quickly and efficiently as possible. I understand there are currently financial difficulties, which the NHS has to address, but this is certainly not the way to do it.

"The idea of forcing people to wait for care or treatment when the people and facilities are available is reprehensible."

The PCT said exceptions would be made for "clinically urgent" patients, those already given an appointment before the decision, children and cardiology, pain-management and neurological cases.

It said it must break its financial cycle of deficit and balances its books in order to concentrate on realigning services so that more health care is provided in the community.

It insisted no one would wait any longer than the national targets set by the Government.

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

Specialist troubleshooters have been sent to three trusts named and shamed in a Government list of NHS organisations unable to manage their budgets properly.

Steps taken to ease pressures have included closing beds, banning expensive agency staff and not filling vacant posts.

The crisis has worsened as hospitals deal with more patients and use more expensive drugs but do not receive enough money to cover the extra cost.