13 NHS patients waited a year for their treatment

were due to patients themselves not being available or choosing to delay voluntarily.

They commented: “A robust monitoring process has been established for the CCG to identify potential breaches and allow early discussion with providers to take place to develop mitigating action plans.”

Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust, which runs HRI and Calderdale Royal, has been approached for comment as the main provider of care in the town.

Rory Deighton, director of patient champion Healthwatch Kirklees, said: “We’ve seen one of these stories this week. A man who has waited eight months for a scan because of administration errors, so we know this happens sometimes. It’s not good enough.

“But we’d also reflect that with the government’s continued underfunding of local NHS services and social care it’s almost surprising that there are not more people waiting this long for support.”

He added: “I also think that as our social care services, community services and GPs continue to work ever more closely, that the opportunities for people to fall through the gaps like this will reduce.”

Kirklees Council’s cabinet member for health, Clr Mus Khan, said: “This is no surprise given the gross underfunding of the NHS. Dedicated staff work hard under unacceptable pressures.

“The NHS needs to be adequately supported by government to ensure all our residents receive treatment within the specific targets.”