Increasingly anxious: Professor Keith Greene

Professor Keith Greene, a doctor at Derriford Hospital, polled 747 votes in Plymouth's Devonport constituency.

He said he wanted to highlight the adverse impact of government-imposed targets on patient care.

Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust said targets were responsible for a dramatic fall in waiting times in recent years.

'Improved service'

Prof Greene said the fact he gained votes was a sign that many people shared his concern about the health service under what he thought was unacceptable pressure as a result of government targets.

He said: "I've become increasingly anxious about the standards of quality care for several years, and as a doctor my first responsibility is to patients rather than the organisation."

Prof Greene said his concerns were for the whole of the NHS and that many fellow consultants at Derriford believed targets could adversely affect patient care.

However, Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust said targets were responsible for a fall in hospital waiting times.

It said they meant that in heart surgery waiting times had fallen from 18 months down to just three, representing a much improved service for patients.