HEALTH Minister John Hutton has applauded York Hospital for a big increase in the number of patients it is managing to treat each year.

Last year, the number of people who completed a course of treatment under the care of the hospital was 66,071 - an increase of 11 per cent on the 59,392 treated in 1999.

The biggest increase in came in general medicine - non-surgical treatment

which is commonly needed by older patients.

According to research compiled by the NHS Trust which runs the hospital,

the figure for last year was 15,546. This compared to 11,507 in 1999 - an

increase of 34 per cent.

The hospital's efforts to treat more patients have been boosted by a sharp increase in the number of women who are having babies at home - relieving

pressure on beds.

Last year, 1,581 women were helped to give birth at home, up from 487 in 1999.

The figures were presented to Mr Hutton by York MP Hugh Bayley at Health questions in the House of Commons. Mr Hutton said: "I warmly congratulate the staff in York on the

excellent job that they are doing."

Seeking to score some political points ahead of tomorrow's local elections, he added: "There are some people who want to talk down the national health service, as a cloak for a broader attempt to undermine the NHS and replace it with private provision and top-up vouchers - something that the Labour Government will never do."

Updated: 12:15 Wednesday, April 30, 2003