The Clydebank hospital has been underused

In future, patients will have to wait no more than 18 weeks for an operation - a reduction from the previous target of 24 weeks.

Health Minister Malcolm Chisholm outlined the new measures on waiting times on Friday.

As well as new targets, the minister said there would also be increased efforts to refer patients who are waiting for operations to the Golden Jubilee Hospital in Clydebank.

Concern had been raised recently that the hospital has been left unused due to a lack of referrals, despite hundreds of patients waiting on lists for operations.

It was thought that many trusts were unwilling to pay the extra cost of �3,000 per patient referral to the former private hospital.

The executive has now agreed to foot that bill and an extra �345,000 is being made available to cover referral costs.

National review

Mr Chisholm said he wanted to see patients being treated "as quickly and as effectively as possible".

He added: "Boards and trusts have worked extremely hard to treat heart patients and we have seen significant reductions in waiting over the last six months.

"But now is not the time to rest on our laurels. That is why I have decided to bring the 18 week target forward."

A short-term national review of the cardiac capacity in Scotland is also to be undertaken.