Mayday Hospital aims to cut waiting times for accident and emergency patients with the use of a computer-based diagnosis system for triage nurses to categorise patients.

The hospital has played a key role in developing the computer programme, which, if successful in its pilot run later this year, would be introduced nationwide.

A group of doctors and nurses chosen by the Department of Health have submitted a list of questions which are currently being programmed to develop the face-to-face version of the NHS Direct helpline.

Mayday's deputy chief executive and director of nursing, Frank McGurrin said he hoped the new system would streamline A&E, and help cut waiting times to an average of 75 minutes, or a maximum of four hours.

Patients most likely to benefit from the package are those with less urgent illnesses who find themselves routinely pushed to the back of the queue, with some patients waiting seven hours.

Mr McGurrin, who helped develop the idea as part of a national steering committee, said the vast majority of patients would not be turned away as a result of the new clinical assessment process, but treated on the premises by on-site primary carers.