HEALTH bosses last night warned job losses were “inevitable” after it was announced NHS Oxfordshire would be axed.

New health secretary Andrew Lansley revealed radical plans to reform the health system to parliament on Monday.

At the moment NHS Oxfordshire, the county’s Primary Care Trust, picks up the bill when a resident needs medical care or hospital treatment.

But, according to plans outlined by the new health secretary, millions of pounds of government money will instead be handed to local GPs for care.

And by 2013, the country’s primary care trusts, including NHS Oxfordshire, will be axed.

The trust employs 2,200 people, of whom 330 in management and administration are most at risk.

Last night NHS Oxfordshire spokesman Ronan O’Connor said: “We are working closely with the GPs and other partners across Oxfordshire to understand the impact of these changes.

“While some job losses are inevitable it is far too early to talk about the number as we have only had the White Paper for 48 hours.”

In a speech to Parliament on Monday, Mr Lansley said: “The Government’s ambition is for health outcomes – and quality services – that are among the best in the world.

“We have in our sights a unique combination of equity and excellence.

“With patients empowered to share in decisions about their care, with professionals free to tailor services around their patients and with a relentless focus on continuously improving results, I am confident that together we can deliver the efficiency and the improvement in quality that is required to make the NHS a truly world-class service.”