A REVIEW of NHS services in Cleveland has been extended to take in the Friarage Hospital at Northallerton and others in the County Durham and Tees Valley area.

Prof Ara Darzi is already looking at the viability of the University Hospital of Hartlepool.

Now he has been asked to report on the impact of the centralisation of specialist services at the James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough, on other hospitals in the region and the capacity of the Teesside super-hospital.

He has also been asked to look at Hambleton and Richmondshire Primary Care Trust's proposals to ensure the long-term viability of the Friarage Hospital.

One of the main issues Prof Darzi will consider is whether there is a need to counterbalance the growing importance of the James Cook University Hospital. This could lead to the enhancement of services at another hospital to provide a second sub-regional centre of excellence with a wider range of specialist services.

His report is not expected to be completed before the summer.

Prof Darzi's proposals to encourage closer working relationship between the University Hospital of North Durham and Bishop Auckland General Hospital, known as the Darzi Plan, formed the basis of recent changes to hospital services in County Durham.

Ken Jarrold, chief executive of County Durham and Tees Valley Strategic Health Authority, said: "I think change is inevitable in every stage of our life and that includes the health service."

He said any proposals would be subject to public consultation.

* Patients will have been duped if a hospital trust moves any services from Northallerton to Teesside, councillors agreed.

Strong opposition would be lodged to any reduction in services at the Friarage Hospital following a review by South Tees Hospitals NHS Trust, which is working with Hambleton and Richmondshire Primary Care Trust on a five- to ten-year plan for the hospital.

The work was prompted by the Government's Configuring Hospitals report which urged a review of services to ensure they met modern needs.

Richmondshire District Council unanimously backed a proposal by its leader, Coun John Blackie, to oppose any recommendations which would reduce the level of services currently available at the Friarage.

Members urged the trust to keep the authority informed and to hold consultation meetings across the district.

Coun Tom Burrows told a meeting of the full council on Tuesday: "During public consultation, we were promised that, if South Tees took over the Friarage, we would keep all the services. The trust needs to be reminded of what it said. If they move any services then we have been duped."

Services under review include maternity, accident and emergency, acute medicine, general surgery and anaesthetic services.