THE war in Iraq has forced North-East health bosses to delay plans to open a "super hospital".

Departments at Middlesbrough General Hospital such as accident and emergency should be moving to the new James Cook University Hospital site over the next few months as part of a multi-million pound scheme to centralise services.

But because about 80 key medical staff have been called up for military service, the move is being delayed until at least July or August.

The staff who have been sent to the Gulf work at the Friarage Hospital in Northallerton, North Yorkshire. The hospital is jointly operated by the Department of Health and the Ministry of Defence.

Members of the South Tees Hospitals trust board will be told that international events must take precedence over the plans to move to the new site.

A spokesman said: "As one of the six hospital trusts around the country with armed services staff, we have to help respond to the war in Iraq.

"A number of trust and military staff have already been deployed, and our thoughts are with them and their families at this time.

"But as the conflict gathers momentum we need to ensure we are able to operate at maximum efficiency and effectiveness."

He added: "With this in mind, we have decided to put back some of the proposed moves of departments to the James Cook University Hospital until July or August."

Departments affected by the delay include the neuroscience and trauma divisions.

The hospital needed to ensure that the trust "has in place appropriate services and contingencies to deal with any situations which arise," the spokesman added