THE region is suffering from such a shortage of doctors that in many areas, vacancies run into double figures, according to the Department of Health

Its snapshot, taken in June, revealed that 14 primary care trusts were trying to fill more than ten vacancies for general practitioners.

Half are in County Durham and Tees Valley - Middlesbrough (16), North Tees (16), Hartlepool (15), Derwentside (14), Durham and Chester-le-Street (14), Darlington (11) and Langbaurgh (11).

A further four are within Northumberland and Tyne and Wear strategic health authority - Sunderland (29), Newcastle (22), Gateshead (21) and North Tyneside (18).

The remaining three fall within the north and east Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire area - Selby and York (23), Craven, Harrogate and Rural (15) and Scarborough, Whitby and Ryedale (12).

The figures were published as the Government came under fire because vacancies across England and Wales have risen by a third in a year.

However, it is the first time that figures have been published for each primary care trust, making it impossible to say whether vacancies have risen or fallen in specific areas.

Tory health spokesman Liam Fox said the figures proved general practice was in massive crisis, with vacancies rising and applications falling.

There were now 3,453 vacancies, compared to 2,615 last year - a rise of 31 per cent - and 3.3 applicants per post, compared to 4.4 per post a year ago.

But Health Minister John Hutton said the Government remained on target to recruit an extra 2,000 GPs by March next year.

Mr Hutton said the NHS boasted more GPs than ever before.

He said that vacancies had to be created as a first step to increasing the workforce.

Between September last year, and June this year, the number of GPs increased by 800, contributing to a total increase of 1,535 since 1999.

The number of GPs working in primary care trusts in the region, and the number of their vacancies, are: Darlington 59 GPs, 11 vacancies; Derwentside 41, 14; Durham and Chester-le-Street 84, 14; Durham dales 51, 7; Easington 51, 3; Hartlepool 42, 15; Langbaurgh 60, 11; Middlesbrough 110, 16; North Tees 94, 16; Sedgefield 53, 3; Gateshead 120, 21; Newcastle 193, 22; North Tyneside 99, 18; South Tyneside 80, 6; Sunderland Teaching 162, 29; Craven, Harrogate and rural 139, 15; Hambleton and Richmondshire 72, 1; Scarborough, Whitby, Ryedale, 103, 12; and Selby and York 170, 23.