LOOKING back to the week of May 16 to May 22, five years ago.

Problems were mounting for a cash-strapped NHS trust as health bosses faced up to a financial black-hole, in May 2017.

Departments across Darlington Memorial Hospital were set a multi-million pound cost reduction target to balance its books but an internal document at County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust revealed the target had been missed by around £1.7m – resulting in a hard-hitting email demanding action.

The document revealed: £6.9m cost reduction target missed by about £1.7m; warning that Trust could run out of cash to pay wages; missing the Government’s 18-week waiting time for appointments.

The Northern Echo:

Senior management and consultants were being told to tighten their belts as money-saving initiatives were missing their targets and an email sent to some staff had highlighted that the trust could run out of money if drastic action is not imposed.

The detailed email raised the prospect of waiting times for operations and appointments being extended beyond the Government target of 18 weeks, the Trust’s inability to cover staff wages and a reduction in nursing levels.

However, the CDDFT’s consultant surgeon and surgical care group director reassured people that patient safety continued to be central to all discussions in the hospital and that there were no plans to reduce staffing levels.

Elsewhere, petrol bombs were thrown at armed police during a tense stand-off in a County Durham village on May 17, 2017.

The Northern Echo:

Officers wearing bullet-proof vests and protective helmets and carrying stun guns surrounded the house in a residential area of Burnopfield, near Stanley.

Inside a 47-year-old man, with “mental health issues”who was thought to be alone in the property, was refusing to leave after issuing threats.

He had earlier telephoned the police at around 1pm to come to the house – but when officers arrived, he threw several petrol bombs at them which exploded in the street.

Armed police were then called in and a cordon was thrown up around the semi-detached house in Lintz Terrace.

Several neighbouring properties were evacuated and residents were asked to avoid the area.

Other emergency services were standing-by at the scene, including the fire brigade, ambulance and gas engineers.

Finally, a headteacher thanked the community for their generous donations on May 16, 2017, following a major fire at the school nursery.

The Rift House Primary School nursery building, in Hartlepool which incorporated a year three classroom, was completely destroyed in a fire on Sunday, May 7, 2017.

Luckily the nursery was separate to the main school building so most pupils only missed out on two days at school.

The blaze broke out on the eve of Year Six students starting their SATs exams at the Masefield Road school in Hartlepool.

However, the community has rallied around the school to get it back on track Headteacher David Turner said: “I’ve been overwhelmed by the support from the whole Hartlepool community. Everyone has been absolutely fantastic and I’ve been inundated with offers of help town wide."

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