WEST Suffolk Hospital NHS Trust is still struggling to meet key targets for patient waiting times and cancelled operations.The Trust was stripped of its maximum three-star status by the Government last week because of poor performance in a number of areas, including financial management and getting suspected cancer patients seen by a consultant within two weeks.

WEST Suffolk Hospital NHS Trust is still struggling to meet key targets for patient waiting times and cancelled operations.

The Trust was stripped of its maximum three-star status by the Government last week because of poor performance in a number of areas, including financial management and getting suspected cancer patients seen by a consultant within two weeks.

It is has now been given a one star rating and missed out on a £1million cash boost awarded to the top performing hospitals in the country.

Bosses have vowed to get the service back on track but the Trust's latest figures for the end of June show little or no improvement.

There were 33 operations cancelled at the last minute last month, only 83 per cent of patients referred to the hospital with symptoms of cancer were seen within two weeks and there were 391 inpatients waiting over 12 months to be seen.

At Ipswich Hospital, bosses are more confident about meeting Government targets next year.

Last month they had 205 inpatients waiting over 12 months, 25 cancelled operations and met the two week waiting time for all suspected cancer patients, except in two specialities.

These figures are within their action plan for hitting the Government targets by March 2003, according to a Trust spokeswoman.