MENTAL health patients requiring overnight stays in hospital will now have to travel to Darlington or Middlesbrough following the closure a ward at Northallerton's Friarage Hospital.

Previously agreed plans for transferring mental health inpatient beds from the Friarage Hospital have now been finalised and services will move by the end of February 2019.

In October last year, following a public consultation, NHS Hambleton and Richmondshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) and Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust agreed to "strengthen community services to support more people at home and reduce the need for admission to hospital."

At the time the local NHS confirmed that inpatient services would move from the outdated wards at the Friarage Hospital in Northallerton to modern inpatient accommodation.

But patients have expressed concerns about the move, which would mean residents from Richmondshire in particular would have further to travel.

One said: "There is no mention of public transport in the document - that is how many of our older people get around.”

Another patient added: "The attitude of the CCG towards patient travel is abysmal. The main concern of people in the Northallerton area, and that of the Dales including Hawes, is the lack of appropriate public transport for adults unable to drive for various reasons, mainly medical including mentally ill patients.”

The CCG said it aimed to keep people at home for treatment as much as possible, thereby reducing the need for travel. The Trust also committed to investing in a new community mental health hub in Northallerton.

It was agreed that people who needed to spend time in hospital would be admitted to either West Park Hospital at Darlington or Roseberry Park in Middlesbrough, whilst specialist inpatient care for people with dementia would continue to be provided at Auckland Park in Bishop Auckland.

Ruth Hill, chief operating officer at Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We are committed to providing local people with the best possible mental health care. For most people this means supporting them to remain at home or reducing the length of time they spend in hospital.

“We’re already seeing a reduction in the number of people who are admitted to hospital and we expect this to continue as our community services are strengthened.”