THE Northern Echo is not in the habit of basing articles on rumours but the speculation surrounding the future of the accident and emergency department at Darlington Memorial Hospital is refusing to go away.

It is not merely a question of social media gossip, although that is substantial. We have been contacted by members of hospital staff and senior community figures, privately expressing concern about what the future holds for A&E services in Darlington. Some have suggested that Darlington's A&E department is to close and redirected to the University Hospital of North Durham.

Naturally, we have put this speculation to the County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust, which has today issued a statement, insisting the rumours are not true. The trust says a decision to close A&E would require a public consultation and a board meeting and no meeting has taken place at which such a decision could be taken.

However, the trust's statement leaves wriggle room. It goes on to say that it is involved in both regional and national work which could result in changes to how services, including urgent and emergency care, are provided in future. Clinical teams have been asked to consider this possibility and make sure their plans are flexible.

A few years ago, County Durham and Darlington underwent controversial changes to stroke care, with the unit at Darlington closed and the service centralised in Durham. Controversial though it was, it made sense because stroke care is a specialism and expertise needed to be geographically focused.

If the "flexibility" which has been asked for in Darlington does, at some stage in the future, mean the closure of A&E, it will be a much bigger issue.

We accept the trust's assurance that there is no substance to the swirl of speculation – but we will be watching developments with interest.