The B.C. NDP says huge cuts in surgeries are being planned for the Vancouver area starting in September, but Metro Vancouver health administrators say the cuts are only being considered and so far, no surgeries are on the chopping block.

Opposition health critic Adrian Dix said Monday planning documents for the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority show preparations are underway to cut more than 6,000 surgeries and close nearly one-quarter of its hospital operating rooms.

He said the documents propose cuts to neurosurgery, opthamology, vascular surgery and 11 other specialized areas. The documents said the combined cuts from September to March would result in a 10-per-cut of all medically-necessary elective procedures this fiscal year.

"Really what they are doing is they are not saving money," said Dix. "They are pushing people off into the next fiscal year. It just means that people will have to wait in pain for surgery."

The Vancouver-area health authority said the documents Dix released were their planning materials, but nothing from those materials has yet become policy.

"No decision has been made on any slow-down of surgical services, and if there were, it certainly would be carefully considered as to what areas would be affected because we do want to maintain our patient core services, but we also need to be sustainable," said Anna Marie D'Angelo, spokeswoman for Vancouver Coastal Health.

"Right now, there's no plans to slow down on surgical services beyond what's been announced, which was the Olympics and the season slow down," she said.

But Dix said the Vancouver health authority documents reveal that administrators are considering deep cuts to meet their budget.

"They may say that this is a proposal, but it's the proposal to close 13.5 operating rooms, to cut 6,250 surgeries, to cut 112 positions, including 13 anaesthesiology positions, and to undermine their long-term ability to deal with increasing health challenges over the next decade."

Health Minister Kevin Falcon told health authorities last month to cut $360 million to avoid deficits.

Falcon, currently on his honeymoon, could not be reached for comment.

Dix said the Liberal government knew about impending health authority budget deficits prior to the May B.C. election in which they were re-elected.

"Mr. (Premier Gordon) Campbell can explain to people waiting for elective neurosurgery that the service he said there would be no problem providing, he can't provide any longer," said Dix.

Dix leaked Fraser Health Authority documents last month showing the fast-growing suburban Vancouver area planned to close operating rooms and cut surgeries.

A spokesman for that authority said then that the documents were drafts only and that no final decisions had been made.

D'Angelo said the Coastal Health Authority is facing a $67 million deficit and it is currently reviewing its service contracts to find ways to save money.

The current B.C. health-care budget is about $15.7 billion and is expected to climb by more than $2 billion by 2011 -- up 87 per cent since 2001.