NHS pain-reducing operations are being routinely cancelled as cuts are already taking place in the service, it has been alleged.

In a letter to the Guardian, representatives of several bodies representing surgeons said that many people are being denied such help and are often not even informed of the availability of surgery by doctors.

The letter alleged that Primary Care Trusts have "arbitrarily defined a number of operations that reduce pain, improve quality of life and prevent serious long-term complications as being of "limited clinical value".

People finding themselves unable to get surgery for pain such as that caused by back problems may find that using a mobile ultrasound device helps ease their discomfort.

Writing to the paper in response to the allegations, director of the Primary Care Trust Network David Stout said it was "unfair and inaccurate" of the surgeons to suggest that cuts were being made now.

He said that operations of limited medical value have always been the subject of "restricted access".