Three-quarters of patients who do not need to be admitted to hospital are treated in 18 weeks or less, Department of Health figures show.

This is the first time the DoH has released figures on how many non-admitted patients are treated within 18 weeks.

The figures for August 2007 also showed an improvement in waiting times for patients admitted to hospital, with 56 per cent treated within 18 weeks from a GP referral - up from 48 per cent in March.

This means more than 70 per cent of patients are currently being treated within 18 weeks. The government's target is that no patient should have to wait longer than 18 weeks from GP referral to treatment by December 2008.

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