A hospital boss has issued a rallying call to staff after a government health warning.

Worthing and Southlands Hospitals Trust maintained its one-star status after meeting seven of nine key targets set by Whitehall officials.

But it failed to make the grade in accident and emergency (A&E) and cancer appointment waiting times.

In A&E, the target of 90 per cent of people waiting less than four hours for treatment was missed during a particularly busy seven-day period, with the trust returning a figure of 79 per cent.

Chief executive Roger Greene told staff he fully supported the star system, but added: "Our A&E department is one of the best in the country.

"Far from failing, it is spearheading reforms that will lead to an improved emergency service everywhere."

The hospitals treated 56,000 in-patients and day cases and 200,000 out-patients in 2002-3, which was a record year.