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Hospital waiting lists cut
Health bosses say they are winning the war on hospital waiting lists.
Patients in Airedale and neighbouring Bradford are now being seen within six weeks for diagnostic tests, which only 12 months ago had year-long waiting lists.
And by December the longest any patient will wait from referral to hospital treatment is 18 weeks, although the average will be much less, health chiefs promise.
One of the most significant successes is a reduction to six weeks in the waiting time for a hearing assessment at both Airedale Hospital and Bradford Teaching Hospitals.
Just a year ago patients - many of them elderly - were waiting up to 60 weeks.
The target has been achieved thanks to extra investment and the appointment of additional staff, which has enabled more clinics to be held.
As well as patients being referred from their GP for a hearing assessment, waits have also fallen to under six weeks for patients who are referred for tests from an ENT (ear, nose and throat) consultant.
The big improvement in waiting times is a joint initiative between Airedale NHS Trust, Bradford and Airedale Teaching Primary Care Trust and Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
Helen Whiston, audiology manager at Airedale NHS Trust, said: "We have made audiology waits a real priority with outstanding results.
"Along with appointing extra staff we have taken a good look at our service to identify how we can use our staff and resources to the best advantage for patients - and it has really worked."
3:52pm Thursday 24th April 2008
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