NHS bosses are making urgent changes to ensure the region’s hospitals can cope with growing pressures on accident and emergency units.

Hospitals across the North-East and North Yorkshire have reported a surge in A&E admissions.

The Care Quality Commission warned today (Thursday, May 9) that another Stafford Hospital scandal was being risked because of pressure on A&E departments.

On the same day, NHS England gave regional health bosses until the end of the month to come up with plans to tackle a recent decline of the A&E service, which it says have been exacerbated by the introduction of the NHS 111 service and pressure on social care budgets.

However, acute trusts in the region say they are already addressing the issue.

County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Darlington Memorial Hospital and the University Hospital of North Durham, said it was facing a continuing growth in the number of patients accessing A&E.

The acute trust saw attendances at its two emergency units increase by 1.6 per cent in 2012/13 compared to the previous year, with admissions up 7.7 per cent in April 2013, compared to the same month in 2012.

In response to the increase, the trust has invested in additional beds at both hospitals, a new clinical assessment unit at North Durham, seven day-per-week rapid assessment clinics, and a range of other measures designed to reduce pressure on beds and A&E.

The trust is also working with local GPs and the North East Ambulance Service to enable more people to be cared for at home.

North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust has introduced new systems to ensure it can cope with extra pressures and treat patients more quickly.

Julie Gillon, chief operating officer, said: “Many patients with emergency medical and surgical problems are admitted directly into our emergency assessment units, without the need to visit accident and emergency altogether and further work is on-going to improve this service."

South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which runs James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough, and the Friarage Hospital, in Northallerton, also reported an increase in emergency admissions.

Julie Suckling, directorate manager for A&E, said: “Generally, nationally across the country we have seen a surge in emergency activity which continued in April and early May over the bank holiday.”

The trust has reported a number of patients arriving in A&E by ambulance after contacting the new 111 number when their conditions would normally be treated elsewhere.