A fifth of patients admitted for treatment at a West London hospital trust waited longer than the target 18 weeks for treatment.

In February, 80% of admitted patients at London North West Healthcare NHS Trust started treatment within the target time, according to the latest figures from NHS England, missing the target of 90%.

The trust also missed the 18-week target for non-admitted patients, with 93.4% seen in time.

The London North West Healthcare Trust finished the last financial year with a deficit of £56m, says Labour research.

The trust which covers Ealing, Northwick Park and Central Middlesex Hospitals, was found to be £8m in excess of their predicted deficit.

Tina Benson, director of operations at London North West Healthcare NHS Trust, said: "The trust has been working hard to ensure that patients are treated in a timely way according to their clinical need. During January and February we worked to ensure those who had been waiting the longest were treated."

Across England, during March, 86.8% of admitted patients started treatment within 18 weeks, the lowest level since 86.7% in April 2008, after a fall from 87% in February, missing the 90% target.

The 95% target for non-admitted patients starting treatment within 18 weeks was hit, with a figure of 95.1%

For patients waiting to start treatment (incomplete pathways) at the end of January 2015, 93.1% were waiting up to 18 weeks.

The waiting time operational standards for 2014/15 were set out in Everyone Counts: Planning for Patients 2014/15 to 2018/19 and say that 90% of admitted patients and 95% of non-admitted patients should start treatment within a maximum of 18 weeks from referral. Also, 92% of patients on incomplete pathways should not be waiting any more than 18 weeks from referral.

During March, 334,834 patients started admitted treatment and 931,546 started non-admitted treatment during March 2015. The number of RTT patients waiting to start treatment at the end of March 2015 was just over 3m patients.

The average time patients waited for treatment was 9.1 weeks for admitted patients and five weeks for non-admitted patients.

For patients waiting to start treatment at the end of March 2015, the median waiting time was 5.6 weeks.

For patients waiting to start treatment (incomplete pathways) at the end of March 2015, 477 were waiting more than 52 weeks.