LOOKING back to the week that was February 26 to March 3, five years ago...

THE decision to temporarily downgrade an A&E department hit by staffing problems was described as a “hammer blow” for the hospital, in February 2019.

Health bosses announced on February 26, 2019, the Friarage A&E in Northallerton would become a “24/7 Urgent Treatment Centre” only able to treat patients with minor illnesses and injuries.

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In addition, all complex critical care-dependent surgery would be undertaken at James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough, for the time being.

Officials said they had to suspend services because of “critical” shortages of staff.

But councillors voiced concerns about extra pressure on Darlington Memorial and James Cook hospitals.

Cllr John Blackie said: “It is a hammer blow for the communities that are spread far and wide and it is a huge blow for the esteem of the hospital.”

The move was just the latest in a series of health service reductions for residents of a 1,000 sq mile area of rural North Yorkshire served by the hospital, which included the closure of the mental health ward and the end of consultant-led paediatric and maternity services.

In a joint statement, South Tees NHS Trust and Hambleton, Richmondshire and Whitby clinical commissioning group said the accident and emergency service would be changed to a “24/7 Urgent Treatment Centre”.

The NHS bosses said the centre would only be able to treat patients with minor illnesses and injuries, such as “slips, trips and falls and minor wounds”.

A brave trainee accountant who overcame cancer took part in a huge darts tournament to raise funds for charity, in February 2019.

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Mark Humble took up the challenge to raise funds for Cancer Research UK after surviving testicular cancer.

On his big night there to cheer him on was his girlfriend Emily Collingwood, who has also experienced a long battle against cancer and was his inspiration for taking part.

Mr Humble was thrilled to be trained for the event by Durham darts professional David Prins who put him and 31 other hopefuls through their paces for six weeks.

Mr Humble’s weekly training sessions for the tournament paid off when he took part in the tournament staged by Ultra Darts at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light.

A town centre shop reopened with a plea to improve high street shopping nine months after an ice cream freezer fire forced it to close.

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Skinnergate News in Darlington town centre reopened at the end of February, 2019, following the blaze which happened just a few days after a major fire broke out in the roof of the former St T’s Home Shop, also on Skinnergate and just yards away from the newsagents.

Malcolm and Sharon Dobson, the shop’s owners, said CCTV footage showed the fire started from a faulty ice cream freezer and the last nine months had been “a bit of a nightmare”, but hoped to bring back loyal customers and attract new ones.

But they also used the reopening to call on Darlington Borough Council to do more to attract people to the town centre, and particularly Skinnergate. “It is so quiet now,” said Mr Dobson. “We have noticed a big difference – the main thing for me would be to sort the parking out. Skinnergate should be like Grange Road and there should be on-street parking.”