HEALTH chiefs have allayed fears over a possible merger of two County Durham hospitals.

Patients across the county have expressed concern over a proposal to merge the new £97m University Hospital, North Durham, and the to-be-completed £67m Bishop Auckland Hospital.

The idea was put forward by Professor Ara Darzi, one of the country's top surgeons, and leaked to the media in a memo written by the North Durham NHS Trust's medical director Dr Bill Ellis.

Critics say health chiefs are considering the idea because hospitals built by Private Finance Initiative have too few beds. A possible merger also raises the spectre of patients who live near one of the hospitals having to travel to the other for their specific treatment.

Ken Jarrold, chief executive of County Durham and Darlington health authority, admitted the merger was being seriously considered, but stressed that Prof Darzi's report has yet to be written.

He said: "This is not about management structure of the trusts, it is about clinical relationships between the hospitals. The idea that Professor Darzi is considering is the possibility of increasing the links between the two hospitals.

"As far as travelling to one or other hospital from all over the county is concerned, I would say that, at the moment, patients from the Dales have to travel to Darlington for emergency surgery.

"And some patients even consider getting on the Eurostar and getting treated in Lille. So, is the thought of travelling from your home town to another for specific treatment such a huge leap of faith?"

However, Robin Moss, senior official with the northern branch of health union Unison, said even considering the idea displayed "breathtaking arrogance".

He said: "They are talking a chess game with all the pieces being moved around. The pieces in this case being patient care, hospitals and staff."