WALK-IN centres have been spared as health bosses publish plans to close a multi-million-pound financial gap this year.

NHS Bury Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is expected to cut Vitamin D deficiency testing and other procedures of limited clinical value, which would help make savings of nearly half a million pounds per year.

It will also review other schemes, including intermediate care, outpatient services and urgent care at Fairfield Hospital, in a bid to save millions of pounds more.

A report identifying £7.7m of annual savings for the CCG are expected to be waved through by the governing body at an emergency meeting today.

Bury CCG chairman Jeffrey Schryer said the organisation's priority is to improve quality while simplifying the way people access services.

He said: “As a responsible commissioner, and in response to the challenges we face, we must look at and do things differently. We have discussed and debated all areas of spend and have been careful not to propose any changes where we don’t fully understand the impact that this may have elsewhere.

"Our review has brought together a number of recommendations for the governing body to consider where it is felt that savings could be achieved, whilst minimising the overall impact of any proposed changes on local people.”

The CCG has a savings targets of £12.5m, four per cent of its total funding, for this financial year, of which £5.1m has already been identified. The gap is blamed on historic underfunding, demographic pressures and demand increasing.

However, the only schemes that could be immediately implemented would only result in savings of £100,000 in this financial year.

It is hoped that the underlying financial deficit is tackled in time to start next year with a balanced budget, according to the report authored by deputy chief finance officer Rachel Coaker.

She said: “It is anticipated that the impact of these schemes during 2019/20 will be negligible given the timescales, which means that other avenues need to be explored to meet the CCG’s statutory duties included external funding support and working together with the council and partner organisations to phase some of these pressures across financial years.”

A review of intermediate care is estimated to save the CCG £2m every year.

Redesigning outpatients follow up services could save £1m, accounting for an eighth of the annual follow up spend.

A further £1m of annual savings could be achieved by managing demand of primary care.

Around 6.2 per cent of urgent care costs, £1m, could be saved following a review of services.

There will also be a review of learning disabilities respite services, which is estimated to save the CCG £700,000 per year.

It is hoped that reducing the total spend on consultant to consultant referrals by 37.5 per cent would save a further £600,000 annually.

A total of £500,000 per year could be saved following a review of dermatology services and the respiratory pathway.

The remaining savings would be achieved as a result of reviews of the Greater Manchester Mental Health contract, Salford Royal Community contract and estates utilisation.