A MOTION calling for 24-hour accident and emergency, paediatric and maternity services to be retained at Darlington Memorial Hospital has been overwhelmingly passed.

Following the move by North Yorkshire County Council, the authority is urging residents to attend an NHS Better Health Programme Engagement Event in Northallerton at The Golden Lion Hotel, today, from 6pm to 8pm, to give their views on the Better Health Programme review.

The motion passed at the council meeting came as NHS County Durham, Darlington and the Tees Valley carries out a wide-ranging review of healthcare services across the area, which will be the subject of a formal consultation.

Proposals around which hospitals in the area will retain accident and emergency services will be a key part of that consultation.

The council, which serves residents living less than five miles from the hospital, called on the Better Health Programme review to take into account the needs of people who rely on the critical care services remaining at the hospital.

It stated the maternity and paediatric services at the hospital were specifically committed by the NHS as an important alternative provision when similar services were downgraded at The Friarage Hospital in 2014.

Council leader Councillor Carl Les said: “It is important that people attend and give support to keeping services at the Darlington Memorial Hospital, as when the services were downgraded at the Friarage people were promised these would remain at Darlington. We must all work together to achieve the right outcome for the people of Hambleton and Richmondshire.’’

Anyone wishing to attend the event is asked to register online at eventbrite.co.uk/e/event-11-northallerton or call 01642-745401.