West Hertfordshire Health Authority which provides services to Borehamwood patients will get a £3million share of Government cash in a bid to reduce NHS waiting lists during the next 12 months.

Chief executive Carolyn Regan said: "This is good news for local patients and we are working closely with GPs and hospitals in West Hertfordshire to ensure that waiting lists are reduced this year and in subsequent years."

She pledged that the money will help to treat more patients and reduce the total people waiting by 1,700 from the current 12,800 total.

"Clearly our overall financial position remains difficult and we need to ensure that our deficit remains under control and that we plan effectively to protect emergency services over next winter," she added.

Around £2.6million will go to the area's two local trusts, Mount Vernon at Watford, which serves many patients from Borehamwood and Radlett, and at St Albans/Hemel Hempstead.

Over the last two years demand on local NHS services has grown, resulting in an increase in the number of people waiting for operations in West Hertfordshire.

The health authority said that despite this increase, 65 per cent of patients are seen within six months and 21 per cent within 12 months.

A small number of patients who last year had to wait longer than 18 months for their operations have now been treated and no patient will now have to wait longer than 18 months.

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