A NORTH Yorkshire hospital has carried out an urgent review after patients with suspected cancer had to wait more than two weeks for an appointment.

The patients - who have not been named - were referred by their GPs to Scarborough Hospital as urgent cases and should have been seen within days.

Julie Lowe, general manager for acute hospital services with the NHS Trust at the resort, said: "This was partly the result of holidays and partly an administrative err-or.

"Our systems have now been reviewed to prevent a recurrence."

She told the trust board that latest figures showed 1,914 North Yorkshire residents on the inpatients and day care waiting lists compared with a target of 1,892.

"While these results are disappointing, we are confident that targets will be achieved at the end of March," she said.

* New facilities are to be provided at Whitby Hospital for stroke patients, including improved inpatient accommodation and a rehabilitation area said Kevin Pulford, general manager for community and clinical support services.