A BIG increase in orthopaedic referrals could seriously hamper attempts to reduce hospital waiting times in Gwent, according to an NHS trust report.

There was a 16 per cent increase during March-August in the amount of orthopaedic patients being referred by their GP for an outpatient consultation, compared with the same period last year.

If the increased demand continues at that rate it "could result in serious risk to target achievement", says Gwent Healthcare Trust performance director Allan Davies, in a report being discussed by the trust board tomorrow.

Improvements in pre-surgical assessments are among a package of measures the trust hopes will head off a potential problem later in the year.

By the end of March 2008 no patient, irrespective of the specialty, should be waiting longer than five months for a first outpatient appointment or for treatment, a combined maximum wait of 10 months.

Increased outpatients in the early part of the year would transfer to the treatment list, putting the latter in danger of falling short of the target.

The danger highlighted in Mr Davies' report is set against an encouraging performance in working towards meeting the five-month targets.

The number of Gwent patients who had been waiting more than five months for treatments in the area's hospitals rose in August to 1,384, up 200 from July.

But the trust's own plan, designed to work towards the March 2008 deadline, estimated there would be more than 2,400 by August.

In outpatients, there were 4,577 patients who had waited more than five months for a first appointment by the end of August, almost 500 more than planned.

The trust hopes to make up the deficit during the next three months.