Airedale Hospital is failing to hit government targets for the treatment of coronary heart disease.

The Steeton hospital trust has been unable to meet three key areas relating to the treatment of patients with CHD, the nation's biggest killer.

However, the trust is managing to hit targets in other key areas such as cancer treatment.

Figures revealed for the period up to October reveal that not enough patients received Thrombalysis, drugs that stop blood coagulating, within 20 minutes of arrival at hospital.

A total of 37 patients were waiting for a cardiology appointment 13 weeks after referral from a GP, higher than the target of 23.

The trust has also been unable to recruit a consultant for a rapid access clinic, which has meant not enough patients who experience chest pains, thought to be angina, have been seen within two weeks of GP referral.

Director of Planning and Marketing Doug Farrow said: "Attempts to recruit a consultant to enable the rapid access service to commence have failed to date, but consideration is now being given to other approaches which may offer a better chance of success.

"Nurses have been recruited and are administering Thrombolysis."

The provision of anti coagulating drugs for heart patients arriving at hospital was one of the few areas identified in need of improvement by the Commission for Health Improvements earlier this year.

All cancer patients at the hospital were seen by a specialist within two weeks of urgent GP referral, and all patients with a diagnosis of cancer received treatment within the recommended 31 days of diagnosis and 62 days of urgent GP referral.

The number of patients waiting more than 13 weeks for an outpatient appointment fell to 389, compared with the 465 who were waiting at the end of August. This is less than the end of year target of 450.

The hospital has no in-patients waiting more than 12 months for treatment, but has 131 waiting nine to 12 months, above the target of 90. The trust says this figure should be reduced to zero by March.

Mr Farrow warned that the rising number of emergency admissions for people over 75 was putting an increasing strain on services.

He said a lack of nursing home beds in North Yorkshire was delaying discharges and making the problem worse.