HEALTH bosses have denied that there is any intention to close a popular community hospital.

A report which went to County Durham and Darlington Health Authority last week suggested that the small South Moor Hospital, Stanley, might be under threat.

But after objections from North Durham MP Kevan Jones, health bosses say that the report has been overtaken by events and that South Moor will now play a vital role in trying to solve bed-blocking problems.

Following reports in The Northern Echo that South Moor Hospital should come under scrutiny as part of any future modernisation plans, Mr Jones wrote to North Durham Health Care chief executive Steven Mason.

Mr Jones gave a warning that there would be "strong local reaction" to any closure plans, which he would support. But last night Mr Mason revealed that as part of an expansion plan to relieve pressure on Durham City's University Hospital of North Durham, 20 extra community beds were being created at Shotley Bridge Hospital.

As a result of the reopening of a ward at Shotley Bridge, which will be used for the rehabilitation of elderly patients, the 20 beds at South Moor Hospital have been re-designated as intermediate care beds.

This means that South Moor will play an important part in easing pressure on the new privately-financed hospital in Durham.

Mr Mason said it was unfortunate that the document that went before the health authority created the wrong impression about future plans for South Moor.

"This is very much a good news story. The review was done some time ago. We plan to make better use of South Moor," said Mr Mason.

He praised the joint involvement of Derwentside and Durham and Chester-le-Street Primary Care Groups and Durham County Council social services, which had ploughed an extra £475,000 into hospital care, allowing the ward to be re-opened.

On Monday, the South Moor beds opened to patients who are waiting to be discharged into their own homes or residential care.

"It has helped to reduce the number of emergency medical patients who are occupying beds in surgical wards, but we are still under tremendous pressure," said Mr Mason, who admitted that some routine operations were being cancelled because of continuing capacity problems at the £97m University Hospital of North Durham