GOVERNMENT hit squads have been sent in to tackle outpatient waiting lists at Worcester Acute Hospitals NHS Trust after it was named and shamed nationally.

The trust, which oversees health provision at Kidderminster Hospital, was one of just seven in the country targeted by the Department of Health after being blamed for a rise in outpatient waiting times.

Staff from the Government's National Patient Access Team have visited the trust to draw up a recovery plan, expecting "dramatic improvements" within six months.

Health minister Lord Hunt said the trust had suffered increases in demand in recent months and would be among the first in the region to benefit from a £40 million pot of Government money to boost the war on waiting times.

Trust chairman Harold Musgrove said more than 320,000 outpatients were seen each year and less than one per cent were waiting over 13 weeks for their first appointment.

He said that 1,920 patients were waiting over 13 weeks as of this week compared to just under 1,000 in March.

Mr Musgrove pointed out the largest increase in referrals over the last few months had been in opthalmology and dermatology.

He said: "Reducing the number of people on the waiting list and the time people have to wait for an outpatient appointment is one of the main priorities for the new trust.

"We welcome the support of the team and any help they can give us."

One of the main aims would be to appoint a new consultant opthalmologist to ease the pressure on the number of people waiting for eye care treatment.