THE decision whether to merge County Durham hospitals and push through controversial reforms is now in the hands of a Government minister.

After an hour-long special meeting last week, County Durham and Tees Valley Health Authority backed the so-called Darzi Plan to shake up local hospital services.

The plan was drawn up by London surgeon Professor Ara Darzi in response to growing concerns about a lack of capacity within the County Durham hospital system.

Under his plan, the University Hospital of North Durham would take the lead as a specialist in angiography and vascular surgery. Shotley Bridge Hospital would be upgraded with new diagnostic and imaging equipment.

But people from across County Durham who require routine operations would need to travel to a protected surgical centre at Bishop Auckland General.

Waiting list cases would be treated there without the risk of operations being disrupted by the emergency admissions - though Bishop Auckland is a 45-minute car drive or a two-bus journey from Stanley.

Health bosses promised to work with local authorities to try to improve transport links between the main hospitals.

If the plan is approved by the Government, the single county-wide hospital service should be in place within 18 months.

Despite a petition, the opposition of more than 60 consultants from the North Durham trust and the thumbs-down from at least one patient watchdog, chairman Tony Waites said he believed the radical proposals were broadly supported.

But David Woodhead, chief officer of Durham Community Health Council, said extra capacity at the University Hospital of North Durham hospital was needed on top of any other plans, and it needed to be created sooner rather than later.

Opposing consultants argue that, regardless of other changes, bed numbers at the North Durham hospital should be more like 800 to match the local population of around 250,000.