MORE than 60 patients in East Lancashire have been waiting more than a year for surgery, in breach of the Patient's Charter.

Latest figures have revealed that all hospitals in East Lancashire are under increasing pressure to control waiting lists.

And 63 patients have been waiting more than a year at the Burnley NHS Trust - the first time since April that the 12-month maximum set in Government's Patient's Charter standard has been exceeded.

All 63 patients are waiting for surgery in the orthopaedic and urology departments of the Burnley NHS Trust.

The Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley NHS Trust has so far managed to keep its inpatient wait to below 12 months.

But Bev Humphrey, East Lancashire Health Authority's contracts boss, says in a report: "The health authority recognises that our local trusts in East Lancashire are under increasing pressure to maintain elective waiting times."

She says several bids for government cash have been made in an effort to reduce the pressure on waiting lists.

Latest statistics also show that 171 patients have been waiting more than a year for treatment at hospitals outside East Lancashire.

They include:

45 awaiting a variety of surgery at Royal Preston Hospital.

13 youngsters waiting for surgery at Manchester Children's Hospital.

24 waiting for heart surgery at Blackpool Victoria Hospital.

Her report, which will be discussed at a meeting of East Lancashire Health Authority on Wednesday, says the number of local patients waiting more than a year for treatment rose from 141 at the end of September to 234 at the end of November.

The total number of East Lancashire patients on waiting lists stood at 14,846 at the end of November.

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