THE boss of Colchester General Hospital has apologised to patients for failing in three key Government-set targets.

Health trusts are tasked with dealing with 95 per cent of patients who come into A&E within four hours.

Some 85 per cent of cancer patients' treatment should begin with 62 days while 92 per cent of planned operations should take place within 18 weeks.

New figures show just 87 per cent of A&E attendees are being treated, discharged or admitted within four hours, 68.3 per cent of patients are starting cancer treatment within 62 days and 82.8 per cent having planned operations within 18 weeks.

Hospital chief executive Nick Hulme said: "It is very disappointing and I would like to apologise to the public that we are not achieving these commitments.

"Colchester Hospital has had significant challenges for many years in terms of quality and safety.

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"We have been concentrating on stabilising the organisation and addressing the concerns raised by the care quality commission.

"That's not to say we are not focussed on delivering on these targets, we are absolutely committed to delivering them but we are seeing massive population growth in terms of an ageing population and a more complex population - Colchester is the fastest-growing town in the country."

The chief executive added: "No one part of the health service can can fix this on its own, it requires all stakeholders to come together to find a different solution.

"Because of the pressures, particularly over the summer, we know that the NHS, which was designed 70 years ago, is not fit for purpose for the modern population."

Mr Hulme also said although people are waiting longer than they should do before starting cancer treatment, there is no "inherent risk to their health" because patients are still being prioritised according to acute need.

He added although he believes NHS targets are a "good thing" because they hold trusts to account, the high standards may not necessarily be helpful.

Mr Hulme added: "Unless we have a radical change in health and social care, then we are not going to achieve these targets nationally or indeed locally in the future."