New £3.5m 28-bed ward to open at Wolverhampton's New Cross Hospital

The gastroenterology ward will free up space elsewhere in the busy hospital.

It was welcomed by chief executive David Loughton who said pressures at New Cross, particularly in A&E, were currently 'horrendous'.

The hospital has been besieged with extra patients since the downgrade of Stafford Hospital.

Ambulances now take patients to New Cross when they would otherwise have gone to Stafford.

Extra patients have also contributed to more than 600 operations being cancelled in 2014.

The number is down on last year but still higher than any other trust in the Black Country and Staffordshire.

Meanwhile in A&E, the latest figures show that 111,150 patients visited the unit in 2014, up to and including December 14.

That is around 8,000 patients – roughly eight per cent – higher when compared to 2013.

Mr Loughton said the new ward would help ease the pressure.

He added: "The ward has 28 beds, cost £3.5m, is state-of-the art and will be a big help.

"It was technically handed over in December and we've moved all the equipment in which has meant we've had an empty ward in the hospital.

"That has made a real difference as before then we had no spare space.

"We've since been able to rotate equipment around wards and been able to give wards a full deep clean, whereas before because of lack of space we could only clean bays at a time."

The new ward specialises in looking after patients with digestive system problems.

Bosses at New Cross Hospital avoided paying two-thirds of a near-£300,000 fine for its poor performance in November.

The trust was landed with a fine of £291,700 for missing crucial national targets, but around £200,000 of that was waived by the Wolverhampton Clinical Commissioning Group.

However a £90,600 penalty for missing A&E targets still stood.

Mr Loughton said of the current A&E situation: "It's pretty horrendous at the moment.

"We'd urge anyone who isn't seriously ill not to come to A&E.

"In particular we've had a few people with flu turn up at A&E and they really shouldn't be there.

"Anyone who has those symptoms should go to a pharmacy or stay at home.

"If anyone is unsure they should phone the NHS 111 advice line."