THE majority of patients coming into minor injuries units are seen, treated or transferred within two hours – beating the national target of four hours.

Gloucestershire Care Services says 93 per cent of patients using minor injuries wait less than two hours, while 99.9 are seen within the national four-hour target time. Average waiting time between April and October 2011 was 39 minutes.

Penny Harris, chief executive designate of Gloucestershire Care Services, said: "We know that patients appreciate being able to access treatment for minor injuries closer to home in our community hospitals.

"Our minor injury units deliver high quality NHS care in the heart of communities with patients able to access quick, effective treatment, including at the weekends and in the evenings."

Average minor injury waiting times for 95 per cent of patients in the two Forest hospitals from April to October 2011 were: Lydney 1 hour 29 minutes; Dilke 1 hour 24 minutes.