Nearly 100 jobs are at risk in Surbiton after leaked documents revealed plans to close an NHS centre.

The primary care support (PCS) centre in Ewell Road, opposite Dysart School, updates medical records, sends cancer screening letters to patients and makes sure GPs are paid on time.

But outsourcing company Capita wants to close the centre by the end of July 2016 if it wins a lucrative NHS England contract.

Capita's status as "preferred bidder" for the support contract was announced in June but the deal has not been finalised.

NHS England wants to cut 40 per cent of its administration costs and says it will reinvest the money in frontline services.

But that may mean 98 Surbiton workers, plus 66 agency staff, are out of a job.

Nick Bradley, Unison national health officer, said: "There are no alternative jobs for those people, they will all be made redundant.

"We think this is a very risky thing to do. There are too many things at stake here if it goes wrong.

“There is always a risk when organisations centralise services. The potential for mistakes is very great indeed."

Documents leaked to the Liverpool Echo newspaper reveal Capita plans to close 29 support centres nationwide if it is awarded the contract, thought to be worth up to £1bn over 10 years.

An NHS England spokeswoman said: "Capita’s proposed plans respond to NHS England’s objectives to realise significant savings and service improvements.

"These proposals would release substantial administrative savings to reinvest in frontline health services.

"[They] have been shared with PCS service staff at Surbiton and the unions, and will form the basis of a full consultation about the impact of changes once they have been transferred from NHS England to Capita.

"Contract award and future transfer is subject to successfully finalising the contract and consultation with our staff and recognised trade unions. We anticipate this will be September 1.

"We aren’t in a position to confirm numbers ahead of the consultation closing."

The PCS service's website says the centres were created "to provide better, more efficient services, building on the considerable skills and experience of staff".

Capita declined to comment.

Kingston and Surbiton MP James Berry said he had contacted the Department of Health for an urgent update and the secretary of state to confirm frontline services would not be affected.

He said: "If there were any threat to frontline NHS services, as a resident and as MP, I would be the first person protesting about it.

“The support services in question are back office administrative functions rather than patient-facing ones.

“Surbiton Health Centre is not being affected by this, nor are any other frontline NHS services in the area. 

“While I am concerned by the possibility that local jobs may be lost, nothing has been finalised and it is impossible to be sure what will happen until the contract is decided.

"NHS England’s response suggests that the efficiency savings will be reinvested into frontline NHS services.” 

A Department of Health spokesman said: "The proposed plans we have shared with staff are the initial thoughts that Capita have for the changes to the PCS services.

“Capita are still finalising their plans, and they will continue to discuss with staff through a formal consultation process. Therefore, it will not be until after the service transfers that the plans will be finalised." 

It added subject to finalising plans all staff based at Surbiton would transfer to Capita Business Services.