PATIENTS will only be referred to hospital if absolutely necessary.
Swindon Primary Care Trust the body responsible for GP surgeries wants to save £10 million in 2005/06.
One of the ways it is hoping to achieve that is by focussing its attention on community-based health services like the Carfax Street walk-in centre and GP surgeries.
Trust spokeswoman Gemma Nicholson said patients will benefit.
"Strategically the PCT will continue to develop more services in community settings where it is safe and appropriate to do so," she said.
"This will enable us to establish new services at a lower cost than they can be provided in a hospital setting.
"For patients this means more services closer to home."
Sarah Truelove, the trust's joint finance director, added: "In Swindon we have delivered savings of £9 million in 2004/05.
"This has been through making services more efficient, not through service cuts."
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