A PATIENT who plagued medical staff with phone calls has been banned from visiting health centres throughout the area - unless it is an emergency.

Susan Hills, of Park Lane, Guisborough, east Cleveland, repeatedly called medical centres run by Langbaurgh Primary Care Trust (PCT) and was abusive to staff, Teesside Magistrates' Court heard.

The court was told that Hills had contacted Skelton Health Centre repeatedly and been abusive to staff.

She had also made repeated calls to the out-of-hours unit and minor injuries unit at Brotton.

Yvonne Taylor, acting on behalf of the trust, said that since the application for an anti-social behaviour order had been made, the problem had escalated, with more calls being made.

Hills was made subject to an interim anti-social behaviour order yesterday - believed to be the first in the country made against a patient by a health organisation.

The order bans Hills from making more than five calls a day to Langbaurgh PCT, the minor injuries unit or the out-of-hours service at Brotton.

She has also been banned from going to any health care provider in the Langbaurgh area without an appointment unless it is a genuine emergency.

If she does seek medical treatment in the area she is banned from being abusive to staff or patients or harassing them.

The interim order was granted before an application for a full anti-social behaviour order is made next year.

A spokeswoman for the trust said it was trying to protect its staff rather than seeking to punish Hill.

She said: "The trust has taken action in conjunction with Redcar Borough Council and Cleveland Police very reluctantly. While we do not want to restrict services for patients, we have a fundamental duty to protect the welfare and safety of our staff and patients.

"The order that has been made is not a punishment and we are only asking Miss Hills to conduct herself appropriately when using NHS services in Langbaurgh."