MANAGERS at the University Hospital of North Durham are considering housing patients in portable buildings as a way of boosting bed numbers.

The plan by officials at the North Durham NHS Trust to bring in temporary accommodation is part of a proposal which would see an extension being built at the hospital.

It was revealed in a survey by County Durham and Tees Valley Health Authority.

In a document sent to the Leeds-based Directorate of Health and Social Care (North), the authority confirms that a business case is being prepared to extend the hospital.

This will increase the number of beds, allow the rehousing of some services and create additional capacity in outpatients, pharmacy and nursery.

It also reveals an 'interim proposal' to rehouse the surgical day unit at the Durham hospital in temporary accommodation and use the empty space to create additional bed capacity for planned surgery.

David Woodhead, secretary of the local health watchdog the North Durham Community Health Council, said: "There is nothing wrong with portable buildings as a temporary measure as they can be built to a high standard."

A separate plan to build a £3.5m surgical centre at the new Bishop Auckland General Hospital to serve the whole of county is also being discussed.