A CLOUD of uncertainty could remain hanging over key services at a general hospital into next year.

Almost 15 months after the National Clinical Advisory Team concluded that consultant-led paediatric and maternity services at the Friarage Hospital, in Northallerton, were not sustainable, it has emerged a decision over its future will be made in the autumn at the earliest.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt is set to announce in the coming weeks whether the Independent Reconfiguration Panel (IRP) will conduct a full investigation into the plans or Hambleton, Richmondshire and Whitby clinical commissioning group (CCG) should launch a public consultation exercise.

Should Mr Hunt launch a full IRP inquiry, it is expected to take between six and nine months to complete.

If the minister does not make a decision by Tuesday, March 26, the county’s health watchdog, North Yorkshire County Council’s health scrutiny committee, will be unable to comment due to the upcoming county council elections.

Councillors, who have agreed to help the CCG shape a potential public consultation exercise, are barred from making announcements about initiatives before elections - a period called purdah - which could be seen to be advantageous to any candidates or parties.

An officer’s report to the health scrutiny committee said: “Members may wish to express the view that no formal consultation should be launched before July 1 and that the usual 12-week [consultation] period should be extended to a 16-week period to allow for the [summer] holiday period.”

A spokeswoman for the CCG said while it would not launch a public consultation exercise during purdah, it could prepare for the exercise and councillors said they would offer non-political support.

Scrutiny committee chairman Jim Clark and his deputy John Blackie said if Mr Hunt approved the CCG’s recommendation not to consult on retaining consultant-led services, pressing for a judicial review was a possibility.

Coun Blackie said: “As the uncertainty over the service’s future continues expectant mothers are expressing concerns over where they should have their babies.”

The CCG and South Tees NHS Trust said it was "business as usual" at the consultant-led maternity unit, that the service was fully-funded and that nothing may change until the end of the year.

A South Tees NHS spokeswoman said mothers did not appear to have been deterred by the uncertainty from choosing the Friarage as the number of deliveries at the unit had remained “fairly static year-on-year”.