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The percentage of patients waiting more than 18 weeks rose from 2.7 per cent to 6.1 per cent in December, latest figures published by Solihull Care Trust reveal.
Labour introduced a target that no patient should wait longer than 18 weeks but this has been abolished by the coalition Government.
Solihull Care Trust, which decides where NHS cash is spent, said: “There are clear issues with our increasing waiting times for admitted patients.”
Yet the report said the care trust was within the Government’s ‘threshold’ of waiting times and is ‘significantly” below the average West Midlands wait of 11.1 per cent.
New figures also show waits in A&E have worsened since April.
The proportion of people seen within four hours fell from 97.58 per cent in April to 92.16 per cent in December, but increased to 93.2 in January.
The coalition Government lowered Labour’s target from 98 per cent to 95 per cent.
Hospital bosses had “experienced sustained difficultly in achieving the operating standard and there has been a continued decline in performance throughout the year” the care trust said.
About 30,000 people are seen each month in A&E departments overseen by the trust, Solihull Hospital; Heartlands Hospital, Bordesley Green and Good Hope Hospital, Sutton Coldfield.
A total 2,175 waited more than four hours in Janury with 76 breaches were at Solihull Hospital.
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