A health authority facing a £1.5m funding shortfall has been attacked for threatening to cut spending on HIV and AIDS.

Manchester HA has backtracked on plans to reduce spending on drug therapies. But chief executive Neil Goodwin said 'social care and support services' for HIV and AIDS patients could be cut.

Ashley Fletcher, services manager of AIDS charity the George House Trust, accused the HA of 'threatening to ration' services.

'The funding we get from the HA is£140,000 a year, which will make no impact on a million-pound plus shortfall,' he said.

Manchester spends£1m more than provided for in central funding on HIV and AIDS treatment. A spokesperson said it received only£9,000 for each patient, while London HAs got£22,000 a head.