NHS told to tackle 'hidden' waiting lists
Ministers are ordering a crackdown on "hidden" waiting in the NHS in England.
Hospitals currently have to see non-urgent patients within 18 weeks but there are nearly 250,000 on lists who have waited for longer than this.
Ministers believe there is not enough incentive for these patients to be treated, meaning some are left "languishing" unnecessarily.
They are demanding NHS managers reduce the number of long waiters by about 50,000 by April.
Branwen Jeffreys reports.
17 Nov 2011