The move was revealed after Suffolk East PCT announced it was to deny obese people surgery in a bid to save money.

The routine surgery wait applies in Ipswich Hospital and Suffolk East PCTs.

A Suffolk East PCT spokesman said routine planned surgery would be carried out within six months and urgent surgery within two months.

We are now proposing that all the non-urgent patients are taken in turn Ipswich Hospital chief executive Andrew Reed

The move was revealed by Ipswich Hospital's chief executive Andrew Reed at a meeting of Suffolk County Council's health committee.

On Thursday he told the BBC the latest directive was not about money but about fairness.

"At the moment we have urgent patients who justifiably go to the front of the queue but we also have some non-urgent patients who manage to jump the queue because of the way the waiting list is managed.

"We are now proposing that all the non-urgent patients are taken in turn. That will add more patients to the waiting list but cut the maximum waiting time."

'Dreadful practice'

Councillor Ben Redsell, a member of Suffolk Health Scrutiny Committee, said: "I always thought that if you needed an operation you should be able to get that operation as quickly as possible.

"The only reason they are making people wait is to save money, and that's a disgrace," he said.

Jenny Brabazon, from health watchdog the Patient and Public Health Forum, said she was "shocked" by the news.

Suffolk hospital campaigner Peter Mellor said: "This dreadful practice came to our notice immediately after we learned that Suffolk East PCT is restricting operations for 10 conditions, including hip and knee operations, for obese patients.

"It is yet another cut in healthcare service since Patricia Hewitt demanded that the PCT achieve financial balance - or else."

'Clinical priority'

Suffolk County Council's health overview scrutiny committee met on Tuesday to consider the PCT's public consultation proposals.

A hospital spokeswoman said: "All our waiting lists are managed on the basis of clinical priority, equity and fairness.

"No-one who needs to come into hospital for a routine planned operation will wait more than six months by the end of December 2005."

The PCT said it was ensuring it meets national standards on waiting times.