People in Oxford have received official letters threatening to remove them from the care of their local doctors unless they send back personal information.

More than 300 households in the city have had the letters which one resident likened to a 'Big Brother' attitude towards patients, many of them elderly.

The letters were sent out by the Thames Valley Primary Care Agency (TVPCA) which oversees GP doctor registrations in the area.

The purpose, it told the Oxford Mail, was to identify "ghost patients" -- people registered with doctors but who have moved away -- in order to get a more precise record of patient numbers.

Staff at the Reading-based agency have admitted the wording was too strong and said no more would be sent until the content had been reviewed. They have so far been sent to patients at two Oxford GP practices.

People were asked to name all the residents at their addresses, along with information about which GPs they were registered with.

It continued: "Your assistance in providing this information would be appreciated as it will help in the planning and development of services in your area and enable the NHS to maximise the best use of resources.

"It is essential that you return this form because failure to do so may result in your name being removed from your GP's list."

University lecturer Peter Oppenheimer, 65, of Linton Road, was angry when a copy fell through his letterbox.

He said: "This is a complete monstrosity. Bureaucrats in Reading do not have the power to remove me from my GP's list, and this will just put the wind up people.

"People do not have to take this -- it's just an unacceptable intrusion.

"A nervous elderly person living on their own, perhaps subject to illness, might suddenly think that Big Brother is going to take their doctor away from them."

The letter has also caused concern at Oxford City Primary Care Trust.

PCT chief executive Andrea Young said: "This problem has come to our attention and we are very concerned that any patients should be upset."

TVPCA head of customer services Barry Smith said the letters had been sent on behalf of two Oxford GP practices, which he would not name. He said although they had only received a "handful" of phone calls from people concerned about the letter, it was enough to make them reconsider the wording.

He said: "We've apologised to everyone who contacted us.

"The wording of the letter probably wasn't the softest language we could have used and we've put a block on more being sent until we review the contents. It's just a way to identify ghost patients -- people registered with doctors who've moved away."