Managers want to hire a second breast surgeon for York District Hospital in a drive to strengthen services to patients.

And they want to open a new breast screening clinic in a former city shop to further boost their work.

The developments come three weeks after Government figures showed the York hospital trust had the worst record in Yorkshire for getting suspected breast cancer patients seen within a two-week target.

Trust chief executive Simon Pleydell said the new appointment, if backed by the trust board today, would provide a long-term solution to the backlogs created when the existing breast surgeon was on holiday.

He declared: "We will meet the national targets."

He added: "I wouldn't want people to think because we are failing on this particular issue that the quality of the service is in any way substandard I think it's first class."

Meanwhile increased demand for breast screening means the board will be asked to agree converting a former shop near the hospital in Clarence Street to form a small screening unit.

This will mean the two existing mobile screening units, one of which is sometimes parked in the York hospital car park, will be moved to other parts of North Yorkshire to provide the service there.