Health bosses have apologised for their botched handling of plans to close a hospital ward.

Fears for Ward Six at Bishop Auckland Hospital have been rising since last month (October), when care chiefs confirmed they were considered shutting the facility.

But after a grilling by County Durham councillors, not only did County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust apologise, it also promised the 24-bed service would remain open while its future is considered.

Carole Langrick, executive director of operations at the trust, appeared at this morning’s (Thursday, November 15) special meeting of Durham County Council’s Wellbeing and Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

She said: “What I’m going to say today is we acknowledge that this process was not managed as well as it could have been and that our language was loose.

Campaigners outside County Hall, in Durham, yesterday

“It was not a good context for the staff dialogue and it caused an unnecessary level of concern.

“We’ve taken that into consideration and I want to assure you that we’ve learned from that.”

She added: “We have extended the dialogue period with staff and it still goes on.”

Coun John Robinson, the panel’s chairman, asked for an assurance the ward would not close ‘until all options have been determined’.

Ms Langrick replied ‘absolutely’.

Bishop Auckland Hospital Ward Six is run as a ‘step down’ ward is for patients who are not ready to go home, but don’t need the full services of an acute hospital.

A letter from Coun Robinson to the trust said Monday (November 12) had been the original deadline for the ward to close and and patients transferred out.

Bishop Auckland Hospital

And Ms Langrick also admitted some staff on the ward had sought and been offered new jobs due to the uncertainty around the ward.

A special motion at last month’s full council meeting had sought to refer the issue directly to the government, but was amended to request the issue be brought to the council’s scrutiny committee first.

The scrutiny panel also has the power to ask the Department for Health to intervene and Coundon councillor Charlie Kay said he ‘guaranteed’ that would happen if the trust’s consultation still suggested closing the ward.

He also accused hospital bosses of considering the ward an ‘easy target’ for cuts.

He said: “Because this is a nurse-led ward with no medical input, there’s no consultant to make a noise about their team being split up – they were seen as an easy target.”

The panel is due to meet in the New Year to hear an update on plans for the hospital.