Mental health patients will suffer if cuts are made to NHS services in Oxfordshire, according to charities and politicians.

Organisations which offer care and support have reacted angrily to Oxfordshire Mental Healthcare Trust plans to cut back on nurses, freeze doctors' vacancies and reduce services to save £1.7m.

Managers at the trust, which oversees Littlemore and Warneford hospitals, "reluctantly" drew up the proposals as part of a countywide NHS financial crisis.

The cuts are part of a £5.9m savings plan -- 10 per cent of the trust's budget.

Restore, which offers work rehabilitation and training to mental health patients, claims it will drastically affect patients.

Chief executive Benedict Leigh said: "We're very disappointed.

"A 10 per cent cut is going to significantly affect the life chances of patients in Oxfordshire. People will have fewer opportunities to do things they want to do, they'll have to stay in hospital for longer and are less likely to get jobs."

His comments were backed by Oxfordshire county councillor Jean Fooks, who has campaigned for better mental health care since her daughter Monica, a manic depressive, committed suicide.

She said: "The outrageous thing is that the trust has been on budget for five years and is being asked to bail out those which haven't. This will be an added burden on an already stretched budget."

Thames Valley Health Authority last month ordered every Oxfordshire NHS trust to make savings to ease £34m debts.

OMHT chief executive Julie Waldron said: "A further reduction in funding of this magnitude means radical measures are required but we'll target savings in specific areas and most services will be protected."