X-RAY services at a County Durham hospital are set to be cut back to just two days a week.

Staff were informed of the reduction of services at Sedgefield Community Hospital at a meeting held on Friday.

Senior diagnostic radiographer Dennis Coffey told The Northern Echo he was concerned that County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust was “steam-rolling” ahead with plans to implement the changes on October 31.

He believes it will affect not only patients who use the services in Sedgefield but could also extend waiting times in Bishop Auckland, Darlington and Durham.

“This service is popular with patients, particularly the elderly, who do not want to, or are unable to travel further afield,” said Mr Coffey, 67, of Trimdon Colliery. “I can see in a few years time they will try and reduce the service completely.”

About three years ago approximately £200,000 worth of equipment was installed at the hospital.

Mr Coffey, who has worked at the hospital for more than a decade, added: “The irony of this proposal is that Sedgefield has the best x-ray equipment of all x-ray equipment in the trust, being fully digital, wireless controlled and produces a lower radiation dose.

“Being so modern and advanced it is also much faster in producing images so patient waiting time is considerably reduced.”

The trust has attributed the reduction to under usage of the facility at Sedgefield but Mr Coffey, who is currently on sick leave, believes the current appointment-only system is counter-productive and if walk-ins were welcomed the service would be better used.

Sedgefield MP Phil Wilson has called for an urgent meeting to discuss the reduction and seek assurances over the long-term future of the hospital.

“It was only a while ago they were trying to close a ward so I want commitment,” he said. “I want to know what more we can do to ensure that the x-ray machine usage is not cut back.”

Having met with members of the trust last week he added he was “disappointed” it had not been raised with him.

A spokesperson for the trust said: “The trust has undertaken a review of the x-ray sessions provided from Sedgefield Community Hospital which has shown that the current service is being underutilised by nearly 40 per cent.

“Therefore, working with local GPs and undertaking consultation with our staff we have proposed arrangements which will still provide enough sessions a week to support outpatient clinics and GP referrals through the appointment based system and still enable additional capacity should it be required.”