BOSSES at a controversial hospital built with private funds are planning to ask the Government for extra money.

As soon as the £97m University Hospital of North Durham was completed under the Government's Private Finance Initiative, it became clear that there were insufficient beds to cope with the spiralling number of patients.

The news attracted widespread condemnation from local politicians and health officials, who claimed that the hospital was poorly planned.

Now, in a report prepared for tomorrow's meeting of the North Durham Health Care NHS Trust, trust chief executive Steve Mason has recommended that extra funding is sought for an extension.

The extension would include an extra 38 beds, to help the hospital meet its NHS targets by 2005.

Mr Mason has recommended that the trust asks for £400,000 in Government funding for a day nursery, £1m for action on dermatology, and more money to build "privacy and dignity" wards. He also says National Lottery cash should be sought for a cardiac laboratory.

* A consultant has warned that vital services could be significantly reduced at two hospital trusts due to be merged because of European law.

Bob Aitken, consultant and clinical director of obstetrics and gynaecology for Darlington and South West Durham NHS Trust, said difficult decisions had to be made to maintain the quality of service.

He was speaking just days after a public meeting at Spennymoor Town Hall at which members of the audience expressed concerns over plans to transfer women's and children's services from Bishop Auckland Hospital to Darlington Memorial.

At present, both hospitals have four consultants and four junior doctors working in gynaecology and obstetrics.

Mr Aitken said that because of the European Working Directive there had to be a dramatic reduction in the hours that junior doctors work.

He said: "I am passionate about providing high quality care to the patients of Darlington and South West Durham and it is with a heavy heart that this decision needs to be made."

The plans are the subject of six public consultation meetings, the next to be held on Monday, at the Dolphin Centre, Darlington.