Managers at a Devon hospital are being drafted back on to wards as the hospital struggles to cope with demands.

About 180 military medical staff normally work at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth.

But 40 are away on exercise and the hospital - which is already struggling with understaffing - could lose more if there is a war with Iraq.

In Cornwall, hospital managers say the NHS is under severe pressure because of the number of patients needing emergency treatment.

Navy staff are heading to the Gulf

Madeleine Jephcott, Derriford hospital's deputy director of nursing, is one of 50 managerial staff who are back on the front line at the hospital - on ward duty and making beds.

She said: "The pressure is intense on the ward and that does make people feel very tired.

"Hopefully we can decrease the pressure and give them a helping hand when they need it."

Derriford has 6,000 staff and just under half are doctors or nurses.

Local MP Colin Breed is so concerned about the loss of military staff that he has written to ministers asking for reassurance that patient care will not suffer.

He said: "We want to ensure that Derriford is not penalised for not meeting its targets because the government has decided to reduce its medial staff."

Desperate need

The Department of Health said that Derriford would get some help with the cost of sending staff to the Gulf.

Hospital managers at the Royal Cornwall Hospital at Treliske have also been struggling to cope in the past few days.

Many patients have been admitted suffering from traditional winter complaints like chest infections.

Hospital managers say more beds are desperately needed.