Hundreds of patients in Swindon are being forced to wait almost a year for vital surgery, a new report has revealed.

According to Department of Health figures, 287 people have had to endure a queue for treatment of up to 11 months under Swindon Primary Care Trust.

Almost 80 residents needing surgery for trauma injuries or orthopaedic operations were among those waiting the longest.

And a total of 408 patients suffered a similar wait under Swindon and Marlborough NHS Trust.

But despite the long waiting lists, Swindon PCT and the NHS Trust hit their waiting time targets, which call for patients to be operated on within 12 months.

And more than 3,700 patients were operated on within five months.

Chris Birdsall, spokesman for Swindon and Marlborough NHS Trust, which runs the Great Western Hospital, said: "We are pleased on the one hand that we are meeting our targets but we are doing everything we can to reduce the length of time people have to wait.

"We take this very seriously and ceaseless work is being done to bring down waiting times."

Deborah Lee, of Swindon PCT, said a temporary recovery plan brought into operation two months ago aimed to reduce waiting lists by offering people treatment at other hospitals.

The results were welcomed by Health Minister John Hutton as evidence of an improving NHS.

He said: "The statistics show that, year on year, we are making steady progress to cut long waits for patients. To make sure we continue that progress, we are adding capacity to the NHS and recruiting more nurses and more doctors.

"Treating more patients more quickly is our number one priority. We said that nobody should have to wait longer than six months for an operation by 2005, and we are on target to deliver that promise."

But the report follows more troubling signs in Swindon's health care system.

A shortage of family doctors in Swindon came to light earlier this year.

At full strength Swindon Primary Care Trust should have 112 General Practitioners.

But the Primary Care Trust admitted there are seven vacancies that have not been filled for at least three months.

aemery@newswilts.co.uk