The letter, sent to GPs in the region from it is claimed a manager at Swindon's £170m Great Western Hospital, claims the bed situation is 'untenable.'

Elective and urgent surgery has been cancelled and the beds are full.

The letter says that GPs are being asked not to send any more patients to the hospital because there is no more room to examine them.

Dr Peter Swinyard: 'Not terribly surprised.'

The problem, according to the letter, stems from "higher levels of emergency admissions and ongoing problems with discharge".

Dr Peter Swinyard, a Swindon GP who received the letter, said he was not surprised.

"I am saddened though that the hospital is so full so quickly. It has only been open a month.

"For some time we have been saying that the hospital may not be big enough."

'More expansion'

But Julia Drown, Labour MP for Swindon South, said beds were becoming available.

"Many people are now ready to be discharged and there is an issue of building up community facilities for this.

"This hospital has as many beds as the Princess Margaret, and much more possibility to expand," she added.

No one from the hospital was available for comment, but they have said the situation is improving.