Plea for meeting on ward closure

Bishop Auckland Hospital was opened in 2002

Campaigners are calling for a public meeting over plans to shut down a ward at a £67m County Durham hospital.

County Durham and Darlington NHS Trust confirmed Bishop Auckland Hospital's Ward Three would be gradually closed from the end of January.

A trust spokesman said improved community treatment had reduced the number of admissions.

Wear Valley District Councillor Sam Zair said the closure should not go ahead without public consultation.

He said: "I believe Bishop Auckland General Hospital is getting short shrift from the trust.

Because of the reduced number of people coming in we don't need the amount of beds we currently have County Durham and Darlington NHS Trust Spokesman

"Any plans to close wards and cut services should be put on immediate hold until the people from this community have been given the opportunity to discuss them.

"As far as we are concerned only a full, open, public meeting will suffice."

Mr Zair claimed 15 nursing posts would be lost, but the trust spokesman said that nurses would be reassigned to other departments.

The spokesman said: "If any jobs are lost they will be redeployed. No-one is being made redundant.

"This is about the number of beds we need at the moment. Because of the reduced number of people coming in we don't need the amount of beds we currently have.

"Local Bishop Auckland patients will still be treated in the town."

Department of Health figures state that 85% of beds should be occupied, but the hospital has patients in only 77%, the spokesman added.