PEOPLE from outlying areas could face long journeys to hospital under a proposed health shake-up.

Councillors are worried about the impact that plans for County Durham's hospitals will have on people without cars.

Health managers are considering merging the North and South Durham NHS trusts.

The hospitals - Bishop Auckland General, University Hospital of North Durham, Darlington Memorial and Shotley Bridge - would specialise in a particular field and serve the whole area.

The county council's cabinet has welcomed the plans, saying they could ensure a consistent service across the county. But there is concern about the additional travelling people will face.

David Marshall, councillor for Craghead and South Moor, near Stanley, said many people in Derwentside area would face long journeys if they had to travel to Bishop Auckland.

"In many cases its three hours travelling on a bus to Bishop Auckland. If people have to pull out extra money to travel that will have a negative effect on the recovery of patients because they won't be able to afford it. The people of Derwentside will come back to this council and want a direct bus service to Bishop Auckland.''

He added that for many people in the Derwentside area it was easier to travel to Gateshead.

Cabinet member Christine Smith said: "There are concerns about travelling. Balanced with that is the actual expertise to carry out the more major operations.

"If we can have that expertise in County Durham at centres of excellence, rather than people having to travel outside, that is better.''

Under the proposals, University Hospital would take the lead for vascular and diagnostic angiography services, Darlington would focus on acute obstetrics and gynaecology and Bishop Auckland would have a state-of-the-art centre for planned surgery.

Shotley Bridge would be developed as a diagnostic centre.

Social services director Peter Kemp said travel problems were outweighed by the advantages of creating centres of excellence which will attract good quality medical staff.

The council, which is being consulted on the proposals, will consider a further report next month.