NHS trusts have been asked to make extreme cuts as the service faces a forecasted shortfall of nearly ₤ 7 billion, health leaders warned today.

In a study for NHS Providers, 47 per cent of trust leaders cautioned they are rolling back services to balance the books, while another 43 per cent are thinking about doing so.

Rehabilitation centres, talking treatments and diabetes services for youths are among services at danger.

Eighty-six percent of participants stated their organisation is needing to cut tasks in non-clinical teams, while 37 per cent plan to posts.

A number of trusts are aiming to cut 500 tasks or more, with one preparation as lots of as 1,000.

NHS union Unison's head of health Helga Pile stated: "Ministers shouldn't be insisting trusts stabilize their books while disregarding the damaging repercussions for patient care and a demoralised labor force.

"The NHS needs more personnel - not less employees - if delays and waits for patients are to end."

It comes as NHS chief executive Sir Jim Mackey informed a Medical Journalists Association event in London the service had actually "maxed out on what is affordable."