DOZENS of operations have been cancelled across the region as emergency admissions affect hospitals.

This winter, the traditional peak in demand has come later than usual, but in the past few weeks, hospitals have been inundated with sick, often elderly, patients needing urgent treatment.

Many hospitals have had to cancel planned routine operations to make way for emergencies.

Worst-affected has been the Newcastle Hospitals NHS Trust, where 40 operations have been cancelled in the past fortnight.

Pressure from new patients, many seriously ill, meant a ward used by patients recovering from routine surgery was turned into a temporary medical ward.

The James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough, has been forced to cancel 13 planned operations in the past week for the same reasons.

A South Tees Hospitals spokeswoman said: "In December, we saw a record level of emergency admissions.

"We had approximately 2,500 in a single month, including 1,000 medical cases, which was 432 higher than in December 2002."

North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Trust also reported heavy demand for beds, although only three non-urgent operations had to be cancelled in the week ending January 25.

Sue Blowers, the assistant director of emergency care at North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Trust, said: "We have been experiencing high levels of emergency admissions, including 579 in one week, but are working extremely hard to ensure every patient coming into our hospitals has access to a bed when required."

The trust has reduced the number of planned operations and introduced discharge lounges at both sites so patients who are ready to leave hospital do not need to be on a ward.

At County Durham and Darlington Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, the situation was similar, with the increased demand for beds leading to the cancellation of five non-urgent operations last week.

Hospital bosses have praised staff for treating more patients and said the extra unplanned admissions were putting pressure on waiting lists.

Members of the South Tees Hospitals NHS Trust board will be told at a meeting tomorrow that if an increase in emergency admissions continues, the ability of trust staff to deal with waiting list targets will be severely affected.