The Shropshire and Staffordshire Strategic Health Authority has also reduced waiting times in its accident and emergency departments.

A report to the authority said the number of people waiting for inpatient and outpatient appointments in the area had been cut by 66%.

The number of people waiting more than 21 weeks for an outpatient appointment has been cut by 95%, according to the report.

National targets

Professor Bernard Crump, the authority's chief executive, said they had worked hard to improve healthcare.

"This report reflects just how much headway the strategic health authority has already made working in partnership with other NHS organisations across the two counties to drive forward improvements to health and healthcare."

The health authority hopes to reach national targets with no-one waiting more than a year for hospital treatment by the end of the month.

The report also said innovative programmes to help people stop smoking have been effective.

The health authority was formed in April last year and works in partnership with primary care trusts in the area and Shropshire and Staffordshire hospital and ambulance trusts.