Unprecedented winter pressures saw A&E at the Royal Victoria Infirmary have its busiest ever day this week.
Monday saw the most people in total - and the most children - through the doors of the Newcastle A&E department on record. According to emergency medicine consultant Mr Sohom Maitra, a total of 569 patients attended the department, with a massive 197 being children.
This breaks the previous record, which was set in October last year. Mr Maitra said that "viral illness presentations to [paediatric A&E]" had been "soaring" for the last six weeks. He said the "vast majority", especially those under age two, were discharged having only needed calpol or ibuprofen. He said there was an issue around "access" to NHS support, and a "huge" desire for face-to-face care.
