CHANGES that will result in some of the most seriously ill patients being transferred from an intensive care unit to hospitals several miles away have been agreed, it was confirmed last night.

The move, affecting patients at Bishop Auckland General Hospital, was revealed by The Northern Echo on Thursday.

Meetings have since taken place involving senior medical staff and doctors and nurses at the hospital to discuss how it will work.

County Durham and Darlington NHS Trust, which runs the hospital, said it was unable to attract enough suitably qualified doctors to provide on-call cover for the unit.

A spokesman said patients would still be assessed first at the hospital before any decision to transfer them to either Darlington or Durham.

He said: "The medical director met with clinical colleagues as planned.

"It was agreed that patients requiring intensive care should be assessed on a case by case basis."

Speaking last night, he added: "The medical director also met with nursing staff today and assured them that this was a temporary arrangement and the situation would be kept under review."

The trust has said it does not intend to close the intensive care unit at Bishop Auckland.

However, it has come under fire from local campaigners who say it is running down services at the hospital.