Doctors at a North-East hospital are taking part in a pioneering way of working.

Called Hospital at Night, the new approach to 24-hour-care at the James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough, will increasingly depend on wire-free computer technology.

Out go telephone bleeps and in come palmtop computers carried by doctors and laptop computers on each ward.

The aim is to replace the current system of bleeping the ward doctor when there is an out-of-hours problem - even if they are the wrong type of specialist - and getting them to ring in to find out the problem.

Instead, the most senior nurse on duty selects the most suitably qualified doctor in the hospital and sends an alert to their palm-top computer.

By activating their tiny palmtop the specialist will be able to see the patient's name, where they are located, their medical details and the nature of the problem.

The palmtop will also provide the doctor with treatment guidelines.

The aim is to ensure that a team of multi-skilled staff with a full range of clinical expertise will cover the entire hospital to meet patients' immediate needs.

Hospital bosses hope that the new approach will ensure ill patients are seen more quickly and by more appropriate physicians.