WAITING lists for patients are at theirlowest for years, says a health chief.

Alison Guy, chief executive of the NHS Trust which covers Ryedale, Scarborough and Whitby told its board meeting that there were now 362 people who have been waiting for in-patient treatment for six months compared with 540 six months ago, and 55 waiting for nine months as opposed to 96.

There were no patients on the 12-month list said Mrs Guy. There had been a total of 4,500 waiting for treatment but it had been reduced to 3,300.

Hospital doctors at Malton, Whitby and Scarborough hospitals had seen 20,000 patients in the past year said Mrs Guy.