A ROW over a ward closure at Bishop Auckland General Hospital could be aired in Parliament.

The town's MP Helen Goodman has written to the Speaker of the House of Commons asking for a debate on the decision to shut ward three next month.

Ms Goodman said she wanted to raise the issue at the highest level following County Durham and Darlington Acute Hospitals NHS Trust's rejection of protests against the closure.

She said: "I remain deeply unsatisfied by the reasons given by local NHS managers. My scrutiny of their plans shows that the ward was 85 per cent full in recent years - surely this suggests we need ward three to stay open."

Thousands of south Durham residents signed a petition against the closure and Ms Goodman has supported Bishop Auckland councillor Sam Zair's call for a public meeting with trust chief executive John Saxby.

Ms Goodman said: "The hospital is a vital community asset and we need a clear plan to safeguard its future."

Councillor Zair said: "The hospital can be viable if it is allowed to run to capacity."

Mr Saxby said: "This is not an issue around the level of occupancy of ward three at Bishop Auckland, but across the whole hospital, and indeed the trust.

"Low bed occupancy and above average lengths of stay are costing £5.8m a year more than we should be spending, according to Department of Health figures.

"We have also closed a medical ward at Darlington and closed Durham Community Hospital."