North Yorkshire health chiefs are putting £1.5 million into cutting waiting lists, following a major increase in people facing delays of 12 months or more for in-patient treatment.

Latest figures show the number of people across the county waiting more than 12 months rose by 370, from 21 to 391, between March and August.

Over the same period the total number of people awaiting in-patient treatment rose by 1,299, from 14,955 to 16,254.

The biggest increases in patients waiting more than months were at the York Health Trust, where the figure went from nil to 137 between March and August, and at Northallerton where they went from nil to 160.

In March none of the county's trusts had any "12-month waiters" at all - the 21 people delayed for a year or more were awaiting treatment outside North Yorkshire.

The figures were due to be discussed by members of North Yorkshire Health Authority today.

Its director of primary care, Dr Gavin McBurnie, said £1.5 million had been set aside across the county to deal with 12-month waiters, other in-patient and out-patient waiting lists, and ensuring emergency admissions could be maintained at local trusts.

He added roughly £500,000 was likely to be given to the York and Selby Primary Care Groups (PCGs), and he expected most of that cash to go to the York Health Trust.

The aim by March 2000 was to get waiting list figures back to where they were last March. He thought they should be able to achieve that, unless they had a flu epidemic or other crisis.

Dr McBurnie said: "We are not being complacent about it, because it is a significant increase and this is certainly going to be a challenge."

The acting chief executive of the York Health Trust, George Wood, said: "Getting the figure to nought last March was a tremendous achievement on the part of all concerned here within the trust."

Demand had continued to increase leading to rising to the lists.

But managers at the trust were delighted they had the extra cash, which would not affect other budgets or other projects at the hospital.

Top heart surgeons and senior doctors were today having a summit meeting with Health Secretary Alan Milburn in which he will spell out tough new targets for cardiac operations.

The talks will signal the launch of the Government's drive to "urgently" modernise all NHS cardiac services and tackle cancer and mental health problems.

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