Patient wait success for hospital

One of Norfolk's biggest hospitals has beaten government appointment waiting time targets three months early.

After months of headlines over its overspending, managers at King's Lynn's Queen Elizabeth Hospital want to highlight its waiting times success.

The trust has already hit a goal to cut the wait for a first outpatient appointment to 13 weeks by December.

Two months ahead of target 98% of A&E patients are seen, treated or admitted within four hours.

Lower levels

The trust also expects to get the waiting time for all in-patients down to six months by the end of the month, eight weeks ahead of target.

The hospital trust, which is being fined by the NHS for being over budget, has been cutting waiting lists for several years.

New chief executive Ruth May was delighted with the latest figures. "The hospital and its staff have performed exceptionally well in tackling waiting times over the last few years," she said.

"With the current focus on the trust's financial position, it's easy to overlook the improvements that are continually being made.

"It is even more pleasing that we have achieved the government target ahead of schedule and we will remain determined to maintain waiting times at this or indeed lower levels for years to come."