The Royal Cornwall Hospital could become an emergency centre

One option proposes withdrawing services from West Cornwall Hospital or St Michael's and consolidating all their services on the other site.

The second suggests cutting facilities and wards at the Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro and using it as an emergency treatment base.

Managers said they would carry out a consultation into the options.

They [the trust board] should support the efforts of all five of the county's MPs to address the government's unfair funding formula Andrew George MP

If the Royal Cornwall Hospital is used as an emergency treatment centre, planned treatments and procedures would increase at the West Cornwall Hospital in Penzance and St Michael's in Hayle.

Emergency surgery is already to be stopped in Penzance from the end of August.

Managers said the moves could help save up to �20m.

The medical director at the Royal Cornwall Hospitals Acute Care NHS Trust, Rob Pitcher, said the proposals followed consultations with staff.

But he added that more discussions would have to take place before any decision was made, and that other ways to save money were also being implemented.

Cut debates

He said: "The savings we're making are in two large groupings.

"The first one is in internal changes, moving things around in hospitals, and making more efficient use of our services.

"The second is from changes which are the two options we are talking about.

"Those are the ones that would have a greater external impact, and therefore need to go for more consultation."

However, St Ives MP Andrew George said he thought managers were using the financial crisis to hide unpopular cuts to services.

He said: "If the trust board wants to take a decision in the best interests of the Cornish people, then they should support the efforts of all five of the county's MPs to address the government's unfair funding formula.