THE number of patients waiting for inpatient and day care treatment at Morecambe Bay Hospitals NHS Trust rose by 301 between July and August.
In August there were 6,376 people waiting for treatment.
Director of performance management Robert Daunt attributed the increase to the sickness leave of two consultant surgeons, and the departure of a consultant surgeon at Royal Lancaster Infirmary.
He also said that August was not usually a productive month because of staff holidays.
An action plan has been compiled to bring waiting lists down during the second half of the year, and a consultant on short-term sickness leave is expected back in the near future.
Two new orthopaedic surgeons, who have taken up posts at Kendal's Westmorland General Hospital and Furness General Hospital at Barrow, will also help lighten the load by delivering six extra theatre sessions each week.
Announcing the appointments, chief executive of Morecambe Bay Hospitals NHS Trust Ian Cumming said: "This should allow us to make inroads in the orthopaedics' waiting list.
It takes the number of orthopaedic surgeons in the trust up to 10, which reflects the needs of our local population."
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