IT is good to see that the Government's investment in the NHS is beginning to reap rewards.

This month's waiting list figures show a fall of 14,200 in January. Since April 1998 waiting lists have fallen by 153,000 - the total is now the lowest figure for nearly two years. Labour has promised by April to reduce waiting lists to a figure lower than that which they inherited .

There was also the eighth monthly fall in the number of people waiting over 12 months for treatment, and once again no patient was waiting more than 18 months for treatment.

NHS staff were quite right to concentrate on coping with the winter, which caused the slight rise in December.

N Gillatt

Fourth Avenue, Heaton, Bolton

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