THE fight to save a breast cancer clinic at a North-East hospital has been stepped up after a petition was launched.

Councillor Sam Zair wants to gather public opinion about a proposal to have the screening facility based at Darlington Memorial Hospital permanently – a move which would result in Bishop Auckland Hospital losing the service.

A review group has recommended to bosses at County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust that breast cancer services should operate at only two sites and have chosen Darlington Memorial Hospital and University Hospital of North Durham to host them.

A consultation will be held later this year but in the meantime the service will be operating from just the two sites by April.

Although this has been welcomed by patients in Darlington, Cllr Zair said people in Bishop Auckland and the surrounding areas will lose out.

Breast cancer clinics were controversially suspended at Darlington Memorial Hospital last spring and moved to Bishop Auckland in an attempt to consolidate the service.

However, when the equipment broke down in Bishop Auckland, a decision was made to put the new kit in Darlington.

Cllr Zair said: “This move doesn’t just affect people in Bishop Auckland. It includes those in rural areas in Weardale and Teesdale. I feel people round here are getting short changed again.

“It is not as though we are overstretched at this hospital and it is an existing service. I think by transferring it to Darlington you are going to put undue stress on those people who are using the service.

“The travelling and parking is going to be a problem, especially in rural areas as not everyone has access to good transport.”

Councillor George Richardson, of Barnard Castle, said: “It all comes down to travelling. I am going to hand the petition out in the area and see what interest there is.

“Bishop Auckland is not as big a hospital and so parking and traffic are not as much of a problem.”

A spokesman for County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust said: “A review group, including consultant and nursing staff has recommended that, in future, clinics for rapid assessment and diagnosis of breast cancer should take place in Durham and Darlington hospitals, with follow up clinics available also at Bishop Auckland and Shotley Bridge.

“This will help ensure that we can see all patients promptly.

“We have committed to a public consultation on their recommendation later this year.

“In the meantime, in order to ensure women are seen and treated swiftly, and following equipment failures with screening equipment in Bishop Auckland, the trust has agreed to proceed in the short term on the basis of the review group’s recommendation, by holding these vital clinics in Durham and Darlington, where new screening equipment is to be installed in April.”