A REVIEW of mental health services has been blasted "another nail in the coffin" for a beleaguered hospital.

Managers say the latest consultation over the Friarage Hospital in Northallerton is to improve mental health services with the majority of people wanting to be cared for at home or as close as possible.

But Paul Fisher who represents Hambleton over Fifties Forum warned the Clinical Commissioning Group's preferred option is to close down two wards with elderly people taken to Bishop Auckland. The row comes after concerns over A and E services and consultant staffing at the hospital.

He added: "More and more people are needing this service as we get older and Alzheimer’s and dementia increase, the proposal is you will be shipped off to Bishop Auckland. That means people who need the service most will be transported miles to a strange town, friends and relatives will have a similar distance to travel to give them the support to recover.

"The wards in Northallerton are full and people are being sent elsewhere so the facility is needed. There may be more people treated in the community but the act requires people in crisis to be treated in hospital. The reason the wards in Northallerton are said to be below standard is that the CCG has not spent money on them over many years. It's another nail in the coffin."

The 12 week consultation is on three options with two closing wards at the Friarage and investing in community mental health services, offering inpatient care at Middlesbrough, Darlington and Bishop Auckland.

Janet Probert of the CCG said the Care Quality Commission had severely criticised accommodation at the Friarage and after consulting the services 480 users they had said admission to a mental health hospital should be the exception rather than the norm and more support should be available in the community.