MEDICAL notes and referral letters for hundreds of Scarborough Hospital patients will have to be examined as part of an investigation into hospital waiting times.

A routine investigation ordered by the Department of Health uncovered evidence of altered waiting lists and patients taken off lists in a bid to make figures on waiting times appear shorter than they really were.

Late last year, three directors at the Scarborough and North-East Yorkshire Health Care NHS Trust were suspended on full pay while a more detailed examination was carried out.

Chief nurse Liz Parker, director of planning Martin Hay and director of information services Jim Brace were all suspended following district auditor Lynne Snowball's findings.

Other members of the trust board learned earlier this week that both inpatient and outpatient waiting times had been deliberately misreported.

A more detailed report from the Audit Commission is expected next week.

Gilly Collinson, from the NHS Trust, confirmed that there would be a lengthy trust investigation into what had happened.

"I think certainly hundreds, and possibly thousands, of notes will have to be pulled out," she said.

"Exactly how it may have affected people is part of the investigation. We are not actually making further comment because the investigation is ongoing and we don't feel it would be appropriate."

Ms Collinson said it would be several weeks before the investigation was likely to be complete.

Ryedale MP John Greenway said he was very concerned that Government pressure to meet waiting list targets may have been to blame.

"Is this a story about some individuals who have done wrong because there is a personal benefit?" he said.

"Or is this a case of pressure from on high to actually show a better picture? I have a feeling it might be.

"I would find it difficult to believe that they have done this without some pressure from above. It is indicative of the fact that the whole service is in such disarray."

Meanwhile, North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire health authority has been handed an extra £8.5 million over the next three years to improve hospital services - but only as a reward for cutting long waiting times for patients.

That news came as senior Labour MPs confirmed their determination to fight plans which could turn York Hospital into a "super trust".

More than 110 MPs, mostly Labour, have signalled their opposition to Health Secretary Alan Milburn's proposals for "foundation hospitals".

liz.todd@ycp.co.uk

Updated: 12:03 Thursday, January 09, 2003