HEALTH chiefs are launching consultations over controversial plans to close a village's surgery.

The Coxhoe Medical Practice wants to end its Monday morning surgery sessions in the community centre at Quarrington Hill.

It has written to almost 900 patients in the village and at Cassop, telling them that it no longer considers the centre to be an "appropriate clinical environment''.

The Durham and Chester-le-Street Primary Care Trust has received an application to close the surgery from the practice.

A spokeswoman for the trust said: "Consultation on the withdrawal of the services from the Quarrington Hill Community Centre surgery will take place over the next few weeks with the Local Medical Committee, the Community Health Council, local councillors, patients and staff.

"Following consultation at its meeting in mid-December, the Primary Care Trust board will discuss this application.

"If the PCT approves the practice's application at the meeting, it will work with the practice to ensure that patients have continued access to services at Coxhoe Surgery."

Durham's Labour MP Gerry Steinberg and local councillors have written to the trust, opposing the move.

They fear the closure will hit the infirm, elderly and young families who will have to use a "limited and somewhat unreliable public transport service" to get to Coxhoe.

Mr Steinberg said the problems the practice said it was facing were not insurmountable and were "insufficient justification for such a detrimental move".

The practice said the branch surgery needed a full-time receptionist and that it still had a big patient list, despite a reduction in the number of doctors.

It also said that patients could be better cared for at the main surgery where there was diagnostic equipment and clinical and IT facilities.