PATIENT waiting times are expected to fall as NHS Improvement will be providing extra support in Gloucestershire.

Support will be given to Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to make sure patients in Gloucester and Cheltenham are seen more quickly in A&E.

Following an investigation by NHS Improvement (previously Monitor) in March, the trust put in place an improved A&E recovery plan.

But waiting times remained high and NHS Improvement found that further action was was needed.

A new chief executive has joined Gloucestershire Hospitals and the trust has appointed an improvement director to provide expert advice on improving emergency care.

The trust will work with other local health and social care organisations so that urgent care services outside the hospital complement and support the improvements inside the hospital.

Claudia Griffith, regional director at NHS Improvement, said: “We recognise that Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has already started work on reducing patient waiting times and welcome the efforts of its clinical teams to achieve this.

"However, there are significant changes that still need to be made to make sure patients are being seen more quickly.

“We will work closely with the trust to make sure it has everything in place to develop a robust recovery plan so it can continue to make positive changes.”

NHS Improvement will monitor the trust’s progress and may take further regulatory action if necessary.