A hospital trust already under unprecedented pressure due to bed-blocking has dealt with a record number of patients in the past 12 months, latest figures have revealed.

East Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust has performed more waiting list operations and dealt with more A&E patients than in the previous year.

From March last year to last month, 38,773 emergency patients were admitted to the trust, which runs the Eastbourne District General Hospital (DGH) and the Conquest Hospital, in St Leonards.

In addition, 40,250 waiting list patients underwent operations.

The number of people on the waiting list fell by almost 14 per cent to 5,851.

Figures showed the number of people arriving at A&E rose by 2.8 per cent to 94,793 and that 281,233 outpatient appointments were dealt with, of which 84,864 were new.

Trust officials praised staff for coping under the pressure, which was brought on by a surge in admissions.

Trust chairman John Lewis said: "We have been under the spotlight throughout the year but I would like to praise all the staff for their hard work, commitment and professionalism over the past 12 months."

New figures show there has been an increase in the number of blocked beds at both the Eastbourne and St Leonards sites.

As of April 7, 63 beds were being occupied by people fit for discharge but with nowhere to go - up 12 from the previous week. Of these, 41 were due to social services.

The crisis was raised at Prime Minister's Question Time last month.

Junior health minister Stephen Ladyman accused Tory-run East Sussex County Council of "setting its face" against moves to reduce delayed discharges.

His comments followed the claim by health minister Rosie Winterton that the county council was deliberately keeping pensioners in hospital to avoid paying for their residential care.

Council officials have denied the claims and said they had funded an extra 100 residential and nursing home places at a cost of £3 million.