INVESTIGATORS have been called into Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS Trust after errors were spotted in its official waiting list figures.

Administration staff at the trust failed to report more than 200 outpatients who were forced to wait more than the national target time of 26 weeks for an appointment with a consultant.

The discrepancies, which mostly affected patients who were waiting to see eye specialists, were found during a three-day internal investigation by the Kent and Medway Strategic Health Authority last week.

An independent panel of investigators, headed by Prof Robert Tinston of the University of Manchester, will now be appointed to find out how the errors occurred and who was to blame.

Two members of non-clinical staff have been suspended in connection with the irregularities.

The investigation is expected to last start within two weeks and could take up to two months to complete.