HOSPITAL bosses should not shift the blame for Darlington's clogged A&E ward onto sick people with nowhere else to go, says a patients' advocacy group.

The comments were made by Healthwatch Darlington after bosses from Darlington Memorial Hospital asked residents to avoid the emergency ward if they were not seriously ill.

A Healthwatch spokeswoman said: “When it comes to our own health many of us will continue use services in the best way we see fit until alternatives are provided.

“Blaming ill people who might be really, really worried is the wrong way to go.

“We are well aware of the fact that front line staff are under immense pressure. But there has to be a new way of working.”

She said hospitals needed to listen to the public if they wanted to fix the system.

“We know that there are pressure there but until they really listen and work with the public, we won’t see any meaningful change.”

Last Wednesday, a joint statement from County Durham hospital chiefs said: “Medical teams within the hospital are working extremely hard to provide patients with the best possible care, but we urgently need to remind the public that A&E is for serious accidents and life-threatening emergencies only.”

On February 18 the NHS will hold an event at the Dolphin Centre to hear residents’ concerns about local health services.