CHRONIC under-funding, staff shortages, and problems with adult social care have pushed the NHS to the brink, health professionals have warned.

Today, the British Medical Association warned that records showed "unprecedented levels of pressure" on the health service and the Royal College of Nursing said the system was in "crisis", blaming chronic under funding and staffing shortages.

Trade union Unison claimed the NHS is "on the brink of disaster" while charities said the surge in demand for A&E services was being fuelled by cuts to social care.

>>> Last night, The Press revealed the extent of the crisis at York Hospital, and the knock-on effect on ambulances. One fire engine even had to act as an ambulance, due to shortages and high demand.

Unison's concerns were echoed by The Independent Care Group in York and North Yorkshire, which said the problems could be eased through greater investment in social care.

Mike Padgham, the group's chair, said: “One of the issues is the number of older and vulnerable adults who are being cared for in hospital rather than at home or in care homes where they would be better off.

“But because local authority commissioners have been cutting and cutting the amount of social care they fund, fewer and fewer people are getting care home or home care support. In many of the current hospital cases, older people are in hospital beds because there is not the right care available for them if they were discharged.

“If the local authorities, and for that matter the Government, put more funding into social care it would actually save money for the NHS by providing care where people want to be cared for and not in hugely expensive hospital beds, which should be available for emergencies.”