HOSPITAL waiting times in Bury fell in March in line with a national reduction.

Total waiting list figures fell by 39 patients (1.9 per cent) bringing the total waiting in March to 204 of which only two, compared to 14 in February were waiting 12 months for treatment.

There was a fall of 97 (24.8 per cent) patients waiting 13 weeks for an outpatients bringing the total to 294, compared to 391 in February. No one was waiting 26 weeks for an outpatient appointment in March.

Figures for North Manchester Health Care Trust also fell. Total waiting lists figures were down by 212 (5 per cent) in March bringing the number down to 4008 compared to 4220 in February. There was 23.1 per cent reduction in patients waiting 12 months for treatment bringing figures down to 30 in March compared to 39 the previous month.

Outpatient waiting lists also fell, with the biggest reduction being in those waiting 26 weeks which fell by 100 per cent bringing the numbers down to zero compared with 112 in February.

Outpatients lists for patients waiting 13 weeks were down by 207 (23.8 per cent) bringing March's figures to 662.