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Hospitals face further ward closures, job losses and axed operations after cash-strapped bosses were secretly ordered to draw up yet more cuts.

NHS chiefs have been warned to “think the unthinkable” in a bid to slash costs as the Tories continue their assault on health.

Proposed measures also include shutting A&Es, theatres and maternity units, scrapping funding for certain treatments such as IVF and drawing out waiting times for planned care.

The steps are being discussed privately by NHS England and NHS Improvement officials, with decisions expected after the election – according to Health Service Journal.

(Image: Getty) (Image: Getty) (Image: Getty)

They include changes which are “normally avoided as they are too unpleasant, unpopular or controversial”, the magazine revealed. The cuts make a mockery of Theresa May’s pledge to protect the NHS with a cash injection of £8billion if re-elected.

Shadow Health Secretary Jon Ashworth said: “We now know if the Tories stay in power we’ll see hospital wards closed, waiting times growing, treatments rationed and staff cut.

“The fact that NHS bosses have described this as the ‘most extreme and ­difficult NHS finance process they had ­experienced’ will make chilling reading for patients and their families who deserve the very best levels of care.

“Every single day the Tories are in power hospitals are being left to crumble, staff are being let down, waiting lists are growing and patients are being denied care.”

Retired consultant paediatrician Dr Tony O’Sullivan, of the campaign Keep Our NHS Public, added: “We have countered the untruthfulness of government statements for years and it has never been more important for people to know the truth.”

(Image: Getty) (Image: Getty)

The proposed cuts come after the Mirror revealed the health service is suffering from the lowest government funding growth rate since its creation in 1948.

Health Service Journal revealed 14 areas of the country have been told to plan for more cuts as part of an agenda called “capped expenditure process”.

They have been targeted because they are on course to miss agreed “overdraft limits”.

NHS England said: “Within their fair share of the NHS budget, local doctors and hospitals are planning how best to deliver services to patients focusing on the priorities of the public, including modern cancer care, expanded mental health and convenient GP services.

“While many options will have been considered locally, the choices of which options to pursue are still to be evaluated and agreed and would require national sign-off in due course.”

Meanwhile, Fentanyl, a painkiller for cancer patients which may no longer be ­available on the NHS under Tory cost-cutting plans, was yesterday labelled an essential medicine by The World Health Organisation.