Wales's five health authorities are being set targets to reduce waiting lists and tackle emergency pressures by the National Assembly.

Health authorities in Wales have been allocated an extra �40m to tackle the NHS's perennial problems.

But before the money is handed out the authorities are expected to devise plans to meet ambitious targets set by the National Assembly.

Iechyd Morgannwg Health Authority is meeting first to discuss how it will go about meeting its targets for the area.

They include reducing the inpatient waiting list by 2,000 patients by the end of the financial year.

It has also been told to eliminate all waits of over 12 months by June 2001 - except in the acutely problematic areas of orthopaedics and plastic surgery where a three-year plan is needed.

The Authority intends investing in new high dependency beds and launching a variety of initiatives to increase the number of operations.