PATIENTS are being forced to wait up to four months for scans at a major hospital.

Family doctors have complained about delays of between six weeks and four months at the Princess Royal Hospital, Haywards Heath.

Some patients who saw GPs before Christmas are still waiting to have scans.

But health chiefs say urgent cases will be given priority and they are working to reduce the waiting time.

Maureen White, a retired nurse, of Pinehurst, Burgess Hill, said her husband, Anthony, 62, has been waiting for a gall stones scan since early December.

Mrs White, a registered general nurse, said: "I have had a go at them about it. I was told we would hear by the end of April or the beginning of May.

"We think my husband has gall stones. It's something relatively minor but it could blow up. There are obviously a lot of patients in the same boat."

onsultants

Mid Sussex NHS Trust spokesman Stefan Cantore said more demand for scans from GPs and consultants had caused the backlog.

He said: "Some GPs have contacted us to say they are unhappy. A year ago there were shorter waiting times than now.

"If you are waiting for a routine scan you are now looking at a wait of three to four months. Last year it was around six to eight weeks."

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