Primary care trusts should tell hospitals to “go slow” and delay inpatient treatments for up to six months in a bid to cut financial deficits to zero before the end of the financial year, the health secretary has said.

Patricia Hewitt, under questioning from the parliamentary health select committee last week, said all trusts were expected to balance their books before the end of March, even if that meant deliberately delaying operations. The government's target on waiting times is that by the end of this month no patient should be waiting longer than six months for inpatient treatment.

Ms Hewitt …