HOSPITAL waiting lists fell in Bolton by almost five per cent in March.
End of month figures show a drop of 51,000 compared with February figures, leading to a drop of 13 per cent in Wigan and Bolton Health Authority since March 1997.
Today Ruth Kelly, MP for Bolton West, welcomed the figures.
She said: "Labour's long term reforms are beginning to deliver tangible results for patients.
"These improvements are the result of hard work by doctors and nurses across the country and the reforms we have put in place.
"As a result of the extra resources for hospitals in Bolton and across the country, there are now more operations completed, more people being treated and fewer people waiting."
At the end of March, 417 patients had been waiting over nine months for non-emergency admission to the Royal Bolton Hospital.
During the past year, the Trust exceeded its targets by 1,712 and reduced the number waiting for admission to 51 below the agreed target.
John Brunt, Bolton Hospitals, NHS Trust chief executive, said: "Even though we hit our targets, there must be an important message about sustaining momentum and continuing to hit targets in the next year."
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