NEW clinics are aiming to cut the waiting times for patients with chronic back problems by more than half.

The move will see patients referred direct to a physiotherapist instead of having to wait to see a consultant, who would often end up sending them for physiotherapy in any case.

Northallerton's Friarage Hospital is setting up the clinics as part of an initiative to tackle waiting lists.

Operations director Steve Spoerry said about 150 people were waiting to see the hospital's back specialist, with an average wait of 30 weeks, but the clinics aimed to ensure patients saw either a physiotherapist or a consultant within 13 weeks.

Mr Spoerry said: "There is a lot of research evidence which shows that of the patients referred to hospital with back pain, only about ten per cent are operable.

"That means 90 per cent either don't need treatment or need physiotherapy, so it makes sense to send them straight to the physiotherapy unit.

"Instead of being referred to a consultant, they would be referred to the new spinal unit. There will be a minority who the physiotherapist examines and thinks they need to see a doctor, and they would then go to a consultant."

He said the proposal had been drawn up by the hospital's spinal consultant and physiotherapist, and had been backed by the Hambleton and Richmondshire Primary Care Group of GPs.

The GPs have agreed to fund the initiative, which will cost £75,000 a year.

Mr Spoerry said: "The problem is that there are vastly more patients with back problems than the consultant can see, so there is a huge waiting list, but the consultant does not need to see most of the patients anyway.

"This scheme means people will end up getting the same treatment, but they will get it quicker."

He said the extra physiotherapists were now being recruited and would be given specialist training, with the clinics expected to open early next year