A hospital must cut waiting times in its accident and emergency unit, a report warns.

Inspectors from the Commission for Health Improvement (CHI) also highlighted overcrowding following a visit to the casualty department at Good Hope Hospital in Sutton Coldfield.

However, their report also pays tribute to the hard work carried out by staff at the site.

The hospital opened a new emergency admissions department in the summer which should improve waiting times.

'Money shortage'

Bernard Zizzman, chairman of the Good Hope Hospital NHS Trust, said: "We simply do not have enough money to treat the patients we are expected to treat.

"Hospitals are there to make life better for people.

"The most important thing we do is look after people and the CHI report says we do."

Dr Peter Homa, CHI chief executive, said: "Good Hope Hospital staff are dedicated and work hard to deliver quality patient care.

"The trust has demonstrated some areas of good practice and has worked towards addressing some of the areas that need improvement."