Unions have warned health care could suffer as the NHS launches another “streamlining” review to find £64.5m savings in south-west London.

NHS South West London, formed by the cluster of five primary care trusts, including Kingston, will again bring doctors, nurses and other clinicians together to consider where the axe will fall.

Michael Walker, Unison nursing officer, said the cuts were significant and would represent a drastic reduction in NHS services with an impact on waiting times.

Geoff Martin, of London Health Emergency, said no area would be immune from the “financial assault”.

He said: “The screw will be turned on everything from acute hospitals to mental health with dire consequences for quality of care.”

Julie Reay, of Health Alert Kingston, said: “The blame lies with the Conservative/Lib Dem Government who are insisting on these cuts and making the commissioners of services pledge that it will not affect waiting times and quality of care, an impossible balancing act.”

However, Dr Howard Freeman, who oversaw the last review before it was halted, denied the review was a repeat of the South West London review, which was halted after last May’s general election following political criticism it would lead to unit closures.

He said: “This is absolutely not the Healthcare for South West London review all over again. What we are talking about is having clinicians discussing problems, not proposing solutions at this stage.”

“We spend £2.2 billion on health services in south-west London. In this Better Services Better Value review hospital doctors and GPs will ask the question are we spending it in a way that benefits patients the most?”

Six groups of clinicians and council workers will look into subjects including end of life care, maternity, children’s services, mental health and specialist care.

Asked about the prospect of hospital unit closures, Bill Gillespie, director of strategy at NHS South West London, said: “At this stage it is too early to say the impact on reconfiguration.”

The review comes at the same time as NHS Kingston looks to produce a £6.8 savings plan.

A spokesman for the Conservative Party said: “Factors such as an ageing population and more expensive treatments mean we need to look at ways of running the health service more efficiently but all savings will be re-invested in patient care.”