A team of experienced nurses has been brought in to cut waiting times in Haywards Heath.

The five emergency nurse practitioners have been trained to assess, diagnose and deal with a host of minor ailments and injuries at the Princess Royal Hospital's accident and emergency department.

Bed-blocking, staff shortages and patient demand have led to long waits for some patients.

A spot-check at the department by Mid Downs Community Health Council (CHC) found one patient was in casualty for 25 hours before a bed was found on a ward.

Other patients waited 14 hours and 11 hours.

The CHC said part of the problem was caused by bed-blocking, where pat-ients ready to leave hospital had to stay because no care home places were available.

The new nurse scheme is the first of its kind at the Princess Royal Hospital and bosses are hopeful it will help speed up the flow of patients through the department.

Sister Debbie Carling, who has led the development of the project, said: "These new roles will en-hance the service in the department.

"The appropriate patients will be assessed and treated more quickly and effectively.

"Nurses' roles will be expanded and the doctors, who all support the scheme, will be able to concentrate on the patients who need them."

The nurses will be able to treat conditions including abscesses, allergic reactions, minor burns, wound infections, cuts and fractures.

They will be on duty every day between 10am and 7pm.

All the nurses have at least five years' experience in casualty with two years at a senior level.

Their training, at Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton, included learning how to deal with limb in-juries, taking patients' histories, child protection and promoting good health.