A flagship hospital, opened by Prime Minister Tony Blair, is being criticised for charging premium rates to people telephoning sick friends and relatives.

Unions have accused managers at the �97m University Hospital of North Durham of charging callers up to 50p a minute to speak to patients.

They also say some patients have found it "humiliating" to have to request free phone calls from nursing staff.

The University of North Durham Hospital was built under the government's Private Finance Initiative (PFI) and officially opened by Mr Blair in July.

The main opposition to these charges is actually coming from nursing staff themselves

Dan Hodges, GMB

Hospital officials so far have not responded to the claims.

The General, Municipal and Boilermakers Union (GMB) has accused the hospital of profiteering from the charges.

Dan Hodges of the GMB said: "This is not just happening at North Durham, it is a growing trend throughout the National Health Service.

"People are being forced to pay premium rate lines to receive calls from their relatives.

"It is part of a growing pattern of top-up charges for what we all thought was a free service."

The hospital has come in for criticism over claims of a lack of beds and other problems.

Nursing opposition

Earlier this month a coroner wrote to the hospital after a woman died because of neglect by overworked emergency staff.

Maureen Matla, 47, died three days after being admitted to the accident and emergency department.

An inquest ruled mistakes were made by under-pressure staff which contributed to her death.

On the charges, Mr Hodges added: "The main opposition to these charges is actually coming from nursing staff themselves.

"In many cases nursing staff are give discretion to give free calls and access to telephones to patients they regard as especially needy.

"So you have this humiliating situation where certain patients are being forced to beg from staff to be able to use these services."