A REVIEW into urgent and emergency care services across County Durham and Darlington is being carried out, it has emerged.

Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCG) across the region say the ambitious plans will improve urgent and emergency care for patients.

The strategy will look at the increasing demand on the service and aims to address the underlying reasons why patients access services.

Within the review, the role of urgent care centres in Darlington, Bishop Auckland, Durham, Peterlee, Seaham and Shotley Bridge will be investigated.

The Urgent Care Strategy for County Durham and Darlington 2014-19 sets out the three CCGs – Darlington; Durham Dales, Easington and Sedgefield; and North Durham – commitment to providing 24/7 urgent and emergency care so patients will be seen in the most appropriate way.

Among the priorities is to bring urgent care and accident and emergency services together at Darlington Memorial Hospital, while in the Durham Dales, Easington and Sedgefield and also North Durham the aim is to place GP practices at the heart of its primary and community care services, seven-days-a-week.

The CCGs will be seeking the opinions of the public so they gain a complete understanding about what the appropriate services are and to ensure they are sustainable in the future.

In a statement, Dr Andrea Jones from NHS Darlington CCG, Dr Neil O’Brien from North Durham CCG and Dr Stewart Findlay from NHS Durham Dales, Easington and Sedgefield CCG, said: “All three CCGs recognise that responsive primary care is the foundation of the future health system – including urgent care.

“It is also recognised that alongside responsive primary care, people need support to help them keep well and effectively self manage their health conditions so that they use urgent and unplanned care services less.

“The aim of the strategy is to bring together these disparate areas to produce a seamless and efficient package of care for the presenting patient.

“To achieve this in County Durham and Darlington a new, comprehensive urgent and emergency care system, delivered by integrated teams of people who share a collective responsibility for every patient journey is needed.

“This will ensure that urgent and emergency care services that address people’s needs, reduce variation and inequalities, and delivers improved outcomes for patients and the population.

“This means a realignment of the system to ensure that care is centred around the patient and carer, and achieving a shift from process to a pathway, which is more responsive to the patient need.”

A meeting to discuss the proposals will take place Thursday, October 16.