PATIENTS with life-threatening conditions face dangerous delays in receiving out-of-hours care in parts of the region, it was revealed yesterday.

County Durham Primary Care Trust (PCT) is failing to hit key standards when it answers telephone calls and starts assessments and face-to-face consultations.

Three other trusts -in Harrogate and District, Sunderland and South Tyneside -are also falling short on one of the core indicators.

All other care trusts in the region passed the key indicators.

The Liberal Democrats, who carried out the research, said patients were being let down since family doctors were controversially allowed to decide not to provide out-of-hours care.

No one was available at County Durham PCT to comment.

Weekend and night-time care has been a hot political issue since 90 per cent of GPs opted out of providing it under a 2004 contract -handing responsibility to PCTs. The shake-up, to ensure GPs are fresh for weekday work, have led to PCTs employing private firms or groups of independent doctors instead.

A report last year by the National Audit Office said GPs, already earning £100,000 on average, dictated high pay rates where care was scarce, pocketing nearly £1,000 for a shift.

County Durham PCT fell short on four key indicators -answering calls, starting assessments, starting assessments after arrival of urgent cases and starting face-to-face consultations.

The standard for answering calls was not achieved by nearly half the trusts, and a third failed to identify life-threatening conditions during phone calls.

Lib Dem health spokesman Norman Lamb said: "Answering calls quickly and providing a swift and accurate phone diagnosis can save lives.

"It is critical that the public has confidence in the care that is provided to them when they cannot see their GP.

"The danger is that people will choose to go to already crowded A&E units."

Recently, Health Minister Andy Burnham denied problems in out-of-hours care, insisting eight out of ten patients described their care as satisfactory.

He said services had been close to collapse in some areas because GPs were not prepared to take on a 24-hour commitment.