PLANS to close a branch of a medical surgery have caused concern among residents.

People living at High Etherley, near Bishop Auckland, say the closure of the branch of Drs Julia and Richard Pickworth's surgery, could make it difficult for elderly people to see a doctor.

The Etherley surgery is planning to close on February 28. Patients have the option to transfer to the other branch of the surgery at Butterknowle.

The Etherley surgery has appointments for two hours on Mondays and Wednesdays and for three hours on Fridays.

On average, only 75 per cent of the available appointments are filled and 28 per cent of those are used by patients from Butterknowle.

The Etherley branch is used as an overflow for patients who would rather be seen at Butterknowle.

Although there is a full-time receptionist it is felt she could be at risk because she is alone in the building for most of the time.

The doctors believe the closure of the branch would free up their time, which could be better spent at Butterknowle.

However, one patient at Etherley, who did not wish to be named, said: "It's going to be so inconvenient to get from Etherley to Butterknowle. Most of the patients are elderly and there is no direct bus service.

"The practice only opened in 1991, a lot of patients will have moved practices and stopped travelling down to Bishop Auckland. They would have stayed where they were if they had known."

A spokeswoman for the Durham Dales Primary Care Trust said the Etherley surgery did not have a full range of services, so patients were often asked to attend Butterknowle for diagnostics, such as ECG or spirometry. There is also no nurse at Etherley.

The spokeswoman said: "Patients are free to change practices if they wish and there are several neighbouring practices with spaces."