NHS bosses have offered a "guarantee" that waiting lists will not be affected by plans to cut services at Shotley Bridge Community Hospital.

Health chiefs are gearing up for a consultation on the future of the hospital, ahead of a final decision due to be made late this year.

As things stand, current proposals could see surgery and endoscopy provision moved out to Durham, Darlington and Bishop Auckland.

Urgent care services based at the hospital also face an overhaul, as does the number of beds – which could be slashed or boosted.

But the North Durham Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) has insisted the proposals do not represent a "downgrading" of the facility.

“If you look at the activity the main use of the facility is out patients and urgent care, both of which we’re proposing to continue delivering,” Rachel Rooney, the CCG’s Commissioning and Development Manager told today’s meeting of Durham County Council’s Adults, Wellbeing and Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

“The only thing we’re clear we don’t want to continue commissioning is theatre and endoscopy services at that local level.

“They’re the only things we think shouldn’t be delivered, bearing in mind endoscopy hasn’t been delivered [at Shotley Bridge] for 12 months and hasn’t had an impact on waiting lists.”

Shotley Bridge Hospital currently provides care in seven different areas: Outpatient services; Urgent care; Chemotherapy; Rehabilitation beds; Diagnostics; Theatre; Endoscopy – a procedure in which a camera is inserted into the body to diagnose an illness or carry out treatment.

Jeremy Cundall, executive medical director at County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust (CDDFT), said staffing issues meant endoscopy services could not be provided "safely" in Shotley Bridge and should be centralised at the trust’s larger hospitals.

But he also promised the loss of endoscopy and surgery provision at the site would "not affect waiting lists".

A report prepared for the committee also raised the prospect of changes to the number of beds available at Shotley Bridge, with three options of no change, doubling the current number to 18 or cutting them altogether.

But although health chiefs insisted proposals are still at an early stage, the prospect of changes to bed numbers provoke strong feelings from the panel.

“We shouldn’t be offering three options on beds,” said Liberal Democrat councillor Owen Temple.

“We were told [last year] that eight beds was not viable, but as long as we have options which lead people into seeking ground we cannot have, we will be misled.”

The CCG has stressed plans are still at an early stage.

An eight-week ‘public engagement’ on the proposals is due to start next month (March) and then a more formal 12-week ‘public consultation’ in the summer.

Following this, feedback will be used to create a ‘full business case’ for planned changes ahead of a final decision expected in September or October.