Waiting lists at some of England's top hospitals are getting longer, the Conservatives have warned.

Shadow health spokesman Chris Grayling said data "hidden away" by the government indicated a worsening position.

Figures released by the Conservatives revealed there were more people on waiting lists at 53 hospital trusts in England this year than there were in 2000.

And 12 of the trusts involved had received "three star" ratings, classifying them as among the best performing in the country.

With 186 hospital trusts in England, the Tory analysis suggests a slide in performance at nearly 30 per cent of trusts.

Grayling said health secretary Alan Milburn had failed to paint an accurate picture when they released a report showing that the number of people waiting for an NHS operation had fallen below one million.

"In the data he tried to hide away we see that 53 hospital trusts have longer waiting lists now than they did in 2000," Grayling said.

"And to make a further nonsense of the government's star rating system 12 of these trusts are three-star trusts.

"Yet again we see nothing the government does can be taken at face value.

"All around the country people are suffering while Alan Milburn tells us that everything is getting better."