KIRKLEES and Calderdale hospitals are following national trends in the reduction of waiting times, the local NHS Trust has confirmed.
Nationally, hospital waiting times have been slashed and the numbers of new doctors and nurses are up by more than 45,000, the Department of Health has said.
Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Trust said: "The number of patients waiting more than six months for operations locally has fallen by 41% in the last year from 358 in October 2002 to 211 in October 2003.
"The number of people waiting more than 13 weeks to see a doctor as an outpatient has also fallen from 1,801 in July 2000 to 987 in September 2003 - a decrease of 45% over three years.
"While we are pleased with these figures we still face huge challenges in meeting patients' expectations and the targets set by government, which means we can never become complacent."
The national figures are in a report by Sir Nigel Crisp, NHS chief executive.
Full details of the report are to be released today.
It is expected to be seized on by government ministers trying to convince voters the cash being pumped into the service is delivering better care.
The report reveals that the number of patients waiting more than six months for operations has fallen by 28.5% in the past year to 177,867.
Three years ago 264,370 patients were waiting for admission.
