An investigation is underway at a North Yorkshire hospital after an Audit Commission report revealed waiting list figures had been deliberately altered.

Lynne Snowball from the Audit Commission confirmed there had been significant "deliberate doctoring" of waiting list figures at Scarborough Hospital.

She said the dates of GP's referral letters for 164 patients had been incorrectly recorded and some had been altered by more than 100 days.

In another instance the numbers of patients waiting more than 12 months were excluded from weekly figures reported to the Strategic Health Authority.

The Audit Commission report says the alteration of waiting lists could have a considerable effect on a Trust's future performance.

A spokesman for the Trust said: "The Trust doesn't feel that it is appropriate to comment whilst it's own investigation is continuing."

Last month three hospital directors were suspended pending an investigation.