Six of the South West's leading surgeons have published a letter critical of how managers at a Plymouth hospital are tackling waiting lists.

The orthopaedic consultants have expressed dismay at plans to fly in medical teams from abroad to treat patients at Derriford Hospital.

The letter is the latest chapter in the row between the consultants and Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust over how to cut mounting waiting lists.

The hospital has said it will "make every effort" to reduce the lists.

The public expects us to make every effort to reduce waiting times for patients

Derriford Hospital

About 2,200 patients are waiting up to 15 months for operations.

The hospital must ensure no patient has to wait longer than 12 months under government guidelines.

But surgeons Geoff Anderson, Huw David, Paul Evans, Mahar Halawa, Ian Rawlings and Nigel Rossitor highlight a number of concerns they feel over the issue of using doctors from abroad.

The letter said: "The millions spent on such initiatives would be better invested in the infrastructure of Derriford Hospital."

It goes on to say: "There are too few surgeons, too few nurses, too few beds and too few operating theatres".

Treatment centre

In a stark warning, the surgeons claim if the proposals to use external professionals are implemented they will "result in the population of south Devon and east Cornwall being exposed to a second rate service".

The Plymouth Hospitals Trust responded, saying: "A new treatment centre will resolve the current shortage of capacity for orthopaedic operations, but won't open until 2007.

"In the meantime, the public expects us to make every effort to reduce waiting times for patients."

The hospital said it will continue to involve orthopaedic surgeons in all discussions.