MORE people in Bury are having to wait for NHS hospital treatment.
The latest official figures show that, for Bury Health Care NHS Trust, there were 2,114 people on the waiting list in April, up from 2,103 in March.
The list for North Manchester Healthcare, which covers some people in the south of the borough, was 4,324 compared to 4,262 in March.
For the North West as a whole, the numbers rose from 164,800 in March to 166,500 in April, a one per cent increase. Nationally, the list has gone up by 1.6 per cent to 1,054,000.
However, the Government has welcomed the figures, saying that the total is 4,000 less than its target.
A spokesman for Bury and Rochdale Health Authority said: "In Bury and Rochdale, as in other areas, there are challenges to be faced in meeting waiting list target reductions.
"There are several ongoing initiatives and extra sessions have been commissioned in certain specialities in order to bring the number waiting for treatment down.
"The dedication of local hospital staff, together with extra investment and reduction schemes, can only improve the situation for patients in terms of allowing them to receive their treatment more quickly."
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