A&E targets at Royal Bolton Hospital not met

Waiting time targets for accident and emergency patients at Royal Bolton Hospital have not been met, a health watchdog has found.

Monitor has asked the Bolton NHS Foundation Trust to produce an action plan to deliver "sustainable improvements".

A&E waiting times and delays in referrals for treatment were highlighted as two significant issues.

The trust said it took the independent regulator's warning "very seriously".

NHS foundation trusts are required to comply with national healthcare targets and standards, watched by Monitor.

The regulator said it had concerns related to the effectiveness of the trust's board, due to a failure to quickly address identified risks in achieving some of these targets.

'Maintain patient safety'

The A&E target is for 95% of patients to be admitted, transferred or discharged within four hours.

In December 2011 the hospital reach 92.5%.

Bolton NHS Trust chief executive Lesley Doherty said measures have been put in place to strengthen and support meeting the target.

She said: "It is quite right that Monitor should admonish us for missing these percentage targets which are an important part of patient experience.

"The board is determined that the trust meets its targets and that we support our staff to do this as well as continue to maintain patient safety."

90% of patients each month should wait no longer than 18 weeks from referral to inpatient treatment, according to targets.

The hospital's average figure for the past 12 months was 86%.

Bolton NHS Foundation Trust confirmed an internal review of governance has taken place, and an external review has also been commissioned.