Overnight clinic closure faces resident backlash

Shotley Bridge Hospital's urgent treatment centre has been shut overnight for three months

People have raised concerns over the temporary overnight closure of a hospital's urgent treatment centre (UTC).

The 24-hour facility at Shotley Bridge Hospital in Consett, County Durham, has been shut from 00:00 to 08:00 every night since 14 July.

County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust said the centre would have reduced opening hours for three months due to difficulties staffing overnight shifts "safely and consistently".

The nearest medical facility for urgent overnight help will now be 13 miles (21km) away at University Hospital of North Durham, but one resident Jackie Tupper said: "We deserve local services."

UTCs provide urgent medical help for non-life-threatening emergencies, such as cuts and burns.

Ms Tupper said she felt Consett was getting the "thin edge of the wedge".

She said her husband had been referred to a specialist recently but had to travel an hour away to Darlington to see them.

"The Consett area has grown no end in recent years and the community deserves to have every available service here," she said.

Another Consett resident Mark Pearson said he has asthma and the overnight closure of the UTC was "worrying for families like mine".

"This change affects vulnerable people, especially those without transport or those with ongoing health conditions," he said.

He said was not confident the overnight closure of the UTC was temporary.

'Protect daytime care'

The trust said between January and June this year it had shut the UTC overnight 65 times due to staffing shortages.

It also said on average just five people attended the site each night.

A spokesperson said staff shortages had risen this year due to a combination of vacancies, sickness and maternity leave.

They said the decision to temporarily shut the site overnight was so "daytime care could be protected".

"We'll be reviewing the impact of this change closely and listening to feedback from local people and partners throughout the closure period," they added.