MANAGERS at a new £67m North-East hospital have rebutted claims it cannot offer adequate care for seriously ill patients.

According to a report by the Royal College of Physicians (RCP), acutely ill patients should not be admitted to hospitals which do not have five key services.

Bishop Auckland General Hospital, which opened earlier this month, fails to meet the criteria as it does not have resident anaesthetic cover.

But John Saxby, chief executive of South Durham Health Care NHS Trust, said the hospital has not had the service for 11 years and feels the level of health care has never been compromised as a result.

He said: "We have not had that service at Bishop Auckland since 1991 and we feel it has not been to the detriment of our patients. However, we have noted the findings of the report and can say that it is one of the main issues within the proposals we are still consulting over."

But a spokesman for the RCP said: "Resident anaesthetic cover is a service we feel is as equally important to the provision of top healthcare as an accident and emergency department or an intensive care unit.

"We would not want to discuss specific hospitals but hope the report, Isolated Acute Medical Services, acts as a guideline to the facilities we feel are necessary to give the best possible care to seriously ill patients."

Political campaigners opposed to proposals for the restructuring of County Durham hospitals hope that the report's findings will force a rethink over the plans.

Surgeon Professor Ara Darzi proposed that Bishop Auckland Hospital would become a centre for elective surgery for hip and knee replacement joints, urology and other surgery.

Obstetrics, gynaecology, paediatrics and the special care baby unit from Bishop Auckland would be centralised in Darlington, but it would continue to have a midwife-led unit and a 9am to 9pm paediatric unit.

The North Durham hospital would take the lead as a specialist in angiography and vascular surgery. Shotley Bridge Hospital would be upgraded with new diagnostic and imaging equipment.

Carol Woods, chairman of Durham City Liberal Democrats, said: "Lots of people are concerned about many issues relating to the proposals and I hope that RCP's report makes people think more carefully about the level of health care local people deserve."