A regional daily has used its front page to take Sajid Javid to task after revealing the pressure faced by healthcare workers across its patch.

The Northern Echo posed the question ‘Is this sustainable, Health Secretary?’ this morning after conducting a special report into the current situation at NHS hospitals across the North-East of England.

It comes after Mr Javid told the BBC he did not believe that the pressures that are currently faced by the NHS are “unsustainable”.

The front page, pictured below, has been widely shared on social media since it was unveiled last night.

Mr Javid said: “We don’t believe that the pressures that are currently faced by the NHS are unsustainable.

“Don’t get me wrong, there are huge pressures – especially in A&E, in primary care for example as well – but at this point, we don’t believe they are unsustainable.”

But the Darlington-based Echo found patients are facing nine-hour waits at A&E departments, staff are facing an increase in abuse and that records are being broken for both the number of calls for ambulances and waiting lists for emergency operations.

Echo editor Karl Holbrook told HTFP: “This is another fine example of a regional newspaper standing up to the official line and interrogating it.

“The reality is that there is a huge disconnect between what we are being told and what is happening on our wards.

“I’m proud of my talented, determined team for exposing this.”

HTFP has approached the Department for Health and Social Care for a comment.