Mid Essex Hospitals Trust has said it is still on course to reach March targets despite winter pressures pushing up national waiting lists,

The Trust, which runs Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford, has said despite added winter pressures causing a surge in patients waiting for operations, it reduced its waiting list.

Figures released this week show the waiting list for December fell from 11,366 in november to 11,359 - a fall of seven people.

Trust communications manager Russell Griffiths said in December staff at the hospital carried out 2,000 operations in a bid to keep the list down.

"Although this comes out as only a drop of seven people, you have to understand they still carried out 2,000 operations in a month.

"The reason it does not drop so quickly is patients are being added on at the other end all the time - we are effectively going against the tide" he added.

"We are still on course to reach our target of 9,738, and I expect us to do it. The doctors and nurses are working very hard to make sure that this is the case" he added.

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