NHS Targets: Mixed Perormance

11.23.58am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 26th Oct 2004

The latest NHS statistics for SW London showed that although there has been good progress in reducing waiting times for hospital in-patients and out-patients and GPs there has been slippage elsewhere:

· 95% of A&E waits are currently under the 4 hour maximum (the target is 98%)

· only three quarters of ambulance calls are being met within the target response times

One area where performance is definitely lagging is in persuading patients to give up smoking. In Richmond and Twickenham there is a target of getting 2,430 smokers to quite over the three year period 2003/2006; but, after five of the twelve quarters, only 650 had stopped smoking.

Vincent Cable said: "Overall the figures show some encouraging trends. The NHS is meeting some demanding objectives. In respect of early treatment of cancer or prompt treatment in A&E wards, recruitment of staff, things are clearly getting better. The big investment in the NHS is paying off.

"But in one or two areas the story is worrying. It is particularly disappointing that so many people are so resistant to the obvious message that heavy smoking is damaging to lungs and heart."