THE NHS failed to treat almost 15,000 Greater Manchester patients within government deadlines during one month this year.
Ministers had pledged that people should be treated within 18 weeks of seeing their GP, but new figures show 14,904 patients had been waiting longer than this in June.
The figures come three days after Health Secretary and Leigh MP Andy Burnham claimed waiting lists were a thing of the past.
In a radio interview, Mr Burnham said: "We have no waiting lists now in the NHS and people have full choice of NHS hospitals."
The average waiting time for treatment is now eight weeks.
Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary Norman Lamb said: "Three days after the Health Secretary claimed there were no more waiting lists in the NHS, government figures have shown that a quarter of a million people are stuck waiting longer than 18 weeks for treatment.
"Andy Burnham's insensitive comments will anger the thousands of patients who are still waiting for treatment.
Treatment
"The position is even worse for mental health patients, who can wait for years for treatment.
"The era of Whitehall targets must come to an end. We need a health service which gets people treatment fast and has the flexibility to meet the demands of the public.
"If people are left languishing on NHS waiting lists, they should be entitled to go private."
The 18-week target includes any hospital appointments, tests, scans or other procedures that are needed before people start treatment.
However, waiting times have decreased dramatically in the past 15 years.
A Department of Health spokesman said: "Record investment and dedicated staff have given patients the shortest waits in the history of the NHS.
"Patients should start treatment within 18 weeks of referral from a GP and are often treated much faster than this.
"In the 1990s, it was not uncommon for people to wait 18 months or more for their operation, with some people on the waiting list dying."
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Absolute proof that Gordon Brown just sets targets which simply can not be met and what does he do about it F.A as usual
I retired to Cyprus. We have a different system over here!!!!!!!!!!
Some months ago, on a Monday I was diagnosed with a Hernia. The Consultant asked me if I would like the corrective surgery the following Monday!!!!!!!!!!!
Where has England gone so wrong when a small island of 750,000 people can have it so right?
Its like when the government made it so everybody attending A&E will be seen within 1 hour instead of waiting several hours to be seen. Now when you attend A&E your seen by a triage nurse almost as soon as you enter and then you wait 4 hours.
What the government state will happen in the NHS and what actually does happen are usually miles apart so this story doesn’t surprise me.
So far I've waiting for 2 weeks for a hospital appointment to see someone about a dodgy mole I have. I wonder how much longer I'll have to wait. All the time wondering if there is something seriously wrong! for all it's faults, I'm bloody glad we have the NHS
Pack all the so called experts of to this poor little island called CUBA and re-learn how it is done? it is a disgrace that things were let go of so badly on every single level. Just an absolute disgrace!