HEALTH professionals would feel badly let down if Chancellor Gordon Brown fails to deliver funding increases for the NHS.

That's the verdict of leading North-East medic, Dr John Canning.

While the Middlesbrough GP is pleased at the extra resources which are likely to flow into the NHS, he is worried how the extra cash might be allocated

"We are all hoping for funding, but the fear is that it will be targeted in ways that are geared to short-term gains," said Dr Canning.

"The worry is that the money will go in ways that give politicians easy speeches, rather than tackling chronic underfunding, and in lots of the hidden areas which do not feature in Government targets.

"What is needed is to allow health professionals to slow down, so they can spend more time with people."

It would be good if the extra money allowed doctors and nurses to provide a higher quality service for the individual, said Dr Canning.

"Unfortunately, that does not always result in things the Government would like to see, in terms of targets and waiting lists," he added.