HEALTH bosses in Hambleton and Richmondshire are celebrating hitting their targets in the first year since reorganisation.

The Hambleton and Richmondshire Primary Care Trust - which employs 750 staff and has an operating budget of £87m - has kept waiting lists within Government guidelines and managed to balance the books.

At the end of March, no patients were waiting longer than 12 months for inpatient/day case treatment, and only 67 patients had waited longer than nine months.

No one had waited longer than 21 weeks for their first non-urgent outpatient appointment, and only 102 patients waited more than 13 weeks.

Chief executive Chris Long said: "We've worked hard in our first year to establish good relations with the Tees East and North Yorkshire Ambulance NHS Trust, and South Tees Hospitals NHS Trust, and the results show the benefits to our patients.

Chairwoman Sue Young said: "I'm delighted the trust has achieved so much already, and would like to pay tribute to all the staff who have contributed, including our partners in GP surgeries."