ACCIDENT and emergency departments in Yorkshire and the north-east are in the top three in the country for seeing patients within one hour.

But figures released today by the Audit Commission show patients in England and Wales have are waiting longer for casualty treatment than they were before Labour's 1997 General Election victory.

A York District Hospital spokesman said: "At present, 92 per cent of patients who visit A&E at York District Hospital are seen and leave the department within four hours.

"All our staff and management will continue to work hard to reduce waiting times further and to meet Government targets."

Updated: 10:58 Thursday, October 25, 2001