CONTROVERSIAL proposals to relocate a psychiatric unit have been published.

Mental health bosses want to close a five-bed psychiatric intensive care unit in Durham and transfer the facilities to Darlington.

Officials describe the proposal, which is going out to public consultation, as a temporary relocation.

But staff and mental health groups have expressed concern at the plans.

Psychiatric nurses are worried that the move will make the transportation of acutely ill patients more difficult.

Mental health charity Mind is concerned it would leave north Durham without a psychiatric intensive care unit.

The proposal is to close the Tony White unit at Durham County Hospital and transfer the beds to the £20m West Park psychiatric hospital, being built in Darlington.

This is because the facilities at the Tony White unit do not meet modern requirements.

The five psychiatric intensive care beds will be replaced by an 11-bed intensive care unit at the West Park hospital.

Officials from County Durham and Darlington Priority Services NHS Trust said the unit would be transferred back to north Durham when a replacement for the County Hospital is opened.

But the earliest a new mental health hospital in Durham will open is March 2007.

A spokeswoman for the priority services trust said: "We believe we have a duty to provide our service users and staff with the best environment possible.

"The new West Park Hospital, in Darlington, offers an ideal opportunity for us to provide much improved accommodation for the trust's psychiatric intensive care services."

The trust hopes that the transfer can be carried out without any redundancies.

Brenda Greener, manager of the Derwentside branch of Mind, said: "It isn't ideal. We are talking about the problems of people visiting their friends and families. It is a long haul and very expensive by bus."

Mrs Greener said most service users would probably prefer to retain the Tony White unit until a new hospital was opened.

The consultation period began on Monday and lasts for 12 weeks until November 1.

Two open meetings are planned to give people the opportunity to find out more about the proposal and give their comments.

The first will be held on Thursday, September 16, from 9.30am to 11.30am, in the Senior Common Room at Collingwood College, Durham, and the second on Friday, September 24, from 10am to noon, in the Blue Room of the YMCA building, in Consett, County Durham.