EFFORTS to keep waiting- times for orthopaedic treatment in Gwent below 18 months appear to be working - despite a doubling of breaches of that time limit across Wales during May.

No patients in Gwent had been waiting more than 18 months for such treatment at the end of May, the fourth month in succession that the maximum waiting-time target has been met.

Recent monthly figures indicate that Gwent hospitals are gradually overcoming well-publicised problems with meeting that target, which led late last year to a high-profile independent review of Gwent Healthcare Trust's orthopaedic service.

This review, carried out by waiting-times troubleshooter Professor Brian Edwards, concluded that millions of pounds of investment was required in Gwent, alongside tighter management of orthopaedic waiting- lists, to help solve the problem.

The funding has been promised by the Assembly, and business plans for more orthopaedic operating theatres, beds and surgeons - based on projects earmarked for St Woolos and Nevill Hall Hospitals - are being considered by Assembly officials.

Meanwhile, changes to the management of lists and to how the service is run appear to be producing positive results, but problems with maximum waiting- time breaches are being experienced by other Welsh NHS trusts.

Overall, the number of orthopaedic patients waiting more than 18 months for treatment rose from 28 to 55 during May. Thirty-four of these were in Bro Morgannwg, up from 15 in April, and 18 were in North Glamorgan, three times the number at the end of the previous month.

May's waiting-lists and times as a whole offered little comfort to Assembly Health and Social Services Minister Jane Hutt.

The numbers of patients waiting more than 12 and 18 months for treatment, and more than six months for a first outpatient appointment, were up.

While fewer patients had waited more than six months for cataract surgery, the number waiting more than four months, another key target time, rose 36 per cent to 710. l May's two bank holidays were blamed by Jane Hutt for helping increase waiting-lists - but political opponents have been quick to pounce. Tory health spokesman Jonathan Morgan said there is "no excuse for this continuing failure".