Palmerston North Hospital's waiting list halved

The number of cancer patients awaiting radiation treatment at Palmerston North Hospital has halved in a year.

MidCentral District Health Board's hospital advisory committee was told this week 108 patients were waiting to start treatment at the end of January, down from 215 last year.

But the level still exceeded national guidelines. The average wait for curative treatment was 28 days, rather than 14, and it was taking 33 days rather than 28 days to start palliative and other treatments.