A powerful GP has branded mental health services across Kingston as poor.

Naz Jivani, chairman of Kingston’s shadow GP commissioning group, made the admission at a meeting to discuss a review of wider changes in the NHS.

The issue is one of the top priorities for Kingston GPs as they increase their influence over how and where NHS money is spent.

Dr Jivani, who works at the New Malden Health Centre, said: “The quality has not been of a good enough standard for our population.

“We are looking at it with South West London and St George’s Mental Health Trust (SWLSTG) and also with our borough colleagues to try and work through the best possible way forward.

“We feel we have had a very poor quality service for many years.”

Valerie Prechner, a 57-year-old from Chessington, who has suffered from depression and anxiety, said: “It is the first time I have heard anyone admit it but I wasn’t surprised to hear it.

“They are normally reticent to admit any failures or faults in the system.

“Many of us have severe concerns about privatisation of services.”

Alan Percival, a member of Kingston’s Healthwatch, said: “We know this is so. We have heard rumblings that all is not well.”

But Michael Walker from Unison said: “This is just the GPs having a vendetta against our NHS services.

“If they are truly concerned about mental health they will give a commitment not to cut or privatise.”

Kingston is part of a national pilot changing mental health contracts to focus on results for patients rather than the number of times a patient is seen, NHS Kingston said.

The trust said as part of the focus on tailoring services to patients, service users have moved from Southbank House and Rose Lodge in New Malden to independent living where they can receive the support they need and be part of the community.

Earlier this year SWLSTG finally admitted it had made failings in the care of a woman under its care who set fire to a tower block on Kingston’s Cambridge Estate.

A spokesman for SWLSTG said: “The trust is working very closely with the shadow GP commissioning groups and patient representatives to ensure consistency in the quality and delivery of mental health services across South West London.

“In Kingston, Dr Naz Jivani is a key partner in ensuring this consistency.”

NHS Kingston is seeking to make £676,000 in savings this year on mental health and is working on draft plans to identify another £1.44m for 2012-13.