NEW statistics have underlined the challenge faced by a new hospital built with too few beds.

Bosses at the £97m University Hospital of North Durham have revealed that day-time bed occupancy rates are running at more than 100 per cent.

When the Durham City hospital was designed in the late 1990s it was assumed bed occupancy rates would be around 70 per cent.

But the rising tide of emergency admissions, combined with increasing problems with so-called "bed blocking", means the new hospital is bursting at the seams.

The figures were released by Stephen Mason, chief executive of the hospital, to show the scale of the difficulties facing staff.

When it opened in April the privately-financed hospital had fewer beds than the Dryburn Hospital it replaced.

Hospital bosses are now working on an action plan to try to create more space.

In the short-term, managers are searching the new hospital to see if there are areas that could be converted into mini wards, and are talking to social services about funding more nursing home places.

Longer-term solutions may include building a new extension. There is also the possibility of a partnership with the private health care sector.

While capacity problems are being tackled in North Durham, bosses at the South Durham trust have hit back after accusations that the new, privately-financed Bishop Auckland General Hospital, which is nearing completion, may turn out to be a "white elephant".

John Saxby, chief executive of the South Durham trust, said the people of Bishop Auckland had been waiting for a decent general hospital to be built since a recommendation was made in 1962 by the then health secretary, Enoch Powell.

"For 38 years the local population has been waiting for facilities most of the rest of the country have enjoyed for decades," he said.

The trust had "moved heaven and earth" to secure the £67m private finance initiative to build a new hospital and he felt sure the result would be a "wonderful" asset.

Mr Saxby said hospital services in South Durham would probably have to change as the NHS evolved but stressed the trust was committed to making the hospital a success