First Minister Jack McConnell has admitted that waiting times remain "stubbornly high".

Over the last three months, the median waiting time for inpatients and day cases dropped slightly to 33 days.

And the median waiting time for outpatient attendances - patients referred to hospital by their GP or dentist - was 57 days, the same as in the previous quarter.

The figures also showed that;

• the number of emergency admissions was at its highest since records began in 1998

• non-emergency admissions were higher than at any time since December 2000

• waiting lists shrank by just under 1% to 80,630

• 43.3% of patients on the list were waiting for day case treatment.

During a visit to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, Mr McConnell said he was scrapping the Scottish Executive's waiting list targets to concentrate on waiting times.

Mr McConnell said: "From now on, waiting lists will no longer be the key indicator of NHS performance and improvement. The end March waiting list target will be the last."

"Waiting times are what matter to people. That's what NHS staff tell me, that's what patients tell me. Too many people are still waiting far too long for essential treatment.

On target

"I want to make sure that all the energies of the NHS are harnessed to tackle waiting times and that we make real improvements, especially for serious conditions like cancer and heart disease."