HEALTH trusts wracked by multi-million pound deficits should follow the example of Swindon's top performing Primary Care Trust, a minister said.

Health minister Caroline Flint praised the town's health chiefs for balancing their books and said there is no excuse for other trusts not to do the same.

Her comments follow a heated 90-minute debate in which Wiltshire Tory MPs lined up to claim that the county's NHS was in meltdown.

James Gray (North Wiltshire), Michael Ancram (Devizes) and Dr Andrew Murrison (Westbury) lambasted plans by Kennet and North Wiltshire Primary Care Trust and West Wiltshire PCT to close a minimum of five out of seven community hospitals.

The move follows spiralling deficits of £18m on top of inherited debts of £28m.

Mrs Flint said the high performance of Swindon proved there were no excuses for Wiltshire's rural PCTs.

The minister said: "I would like to acknowledge the Member for Swindon South, Anne Snelgrove.

"Her local primary care trust's finances are in balance. There are questions to be asked about why PCTs in some areas can balance their budgets, consider how they are operating and improve."

Earlier, a row broke out between the Tory MPs and North Swindon Labour MP Michael Wills over the performance of the town's Great Western Hospital.

Mr Gray argued the hospital was too small to cope, claiming large waiting lists were forcing his constituents to go private.

He said: "The Great Western Hospital in Swindon is inadequate for the numbers going there; there are huge waiting lists for a variety of procedures."

But Mr Wills hit back saying the hospital funded by the Private finance Initiative is a huge improvement on the "crumbling" Princess Margaret Hospital.

He said: "There was a £30m backlog of repairs and no indication from the Conservative government of where the money to pay for those repairs was to come from.

"We now have a brand new Great Western Hospital, which is doing a splendid job."

Jan Stubbings, chief executive for Swindon PCT, said: "We welcome the recognition given for the PCT's hard work and successes during such a difficult financial time that all staff and colleagues in the NHS face.

"I would like to thank staff for their dedication, hard work and continuing support that has enabled us to achieve a three-star and financially-balanced PCT, that provides the highest quality healthcare for the residents of Swindon and Shrivenham."

The debate in Westminster Hall, the Commons second debating chamber, came as Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt was heckled and slow-hand-clapped by nurses furious at under-staffing and job losses.