UP to 17,000 people a year could lose access to vital physiotherapy services if “diabolical” cost-saving measures are pushed through, it is claimed.

The stark warning was issued by top physiotherapist Helen Peacock, who oversees physiotherapy clinics across Mid Essex, including at St Peter’s Hospital in Maldon.

Mid Essex Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), which commissions medical services in Maldon, Chelmsford and Braintree, wants to stop doctors routinely referring patients to physiotherapy.

The CCG has put forward three options, which include stopping all referrals, giving telephone advice only, or limiting treatment to one initial session and one follow-up.

Mrs Peacock said: “It’s basically scrapping Musculo Skeletal Physiotherapy services for their patients.

“All three options are diabolical as far as patient care is concerned. We are the first port of call because 80 per cent of our referrals are from GPs.

“It would affect everybody, literally the general population. That’s the thing – it’s so massive.”