Winchester'S hospital is battling to meet the government's performance goals.

The target for patients waiting from nine to 12 months for admission in September was 89, but the actual figure achieved at Royal Hampshire County Hospital, Winchester, was nearly double at 172.

The number waiting between 17 and 21 weeks for a first outpatient appointment should have been down to 60. In fact it was 133.

Better figures included the number of patients seen within 14 days for suspected cancer - 95 per cent.

Maureen Larkin, director of planning, said the major risk area for the organisation in meeting targets was orthopaedics - treating hips and knees.

She said: "We have a weekly meeting with all our divisional general managers and go through the list, case by case, so that we have a proactive way to deal with this. It's going to be challenging to meet our targets.''

Barbara North, chairman, said: "Each individual patient's case is being managed.

"It's a tremendous headache. But there is determination to hit these targets.''