AN MP has accused a health trust of "treachery" over a cuts plan at North Tees hospital.

And he also cites a "catalogue of despair" with 22 consultants having left in the past two years.

Stockton North's Mr Frank Cook says he is contacted regularly by senior staff worried about the future.

Mr Cook was reacting to reports that there were plans to transfer orthopaedic services to Hartlepool. espite a denial issued just a week ago by the North Tees and Hartlepool NHS trust a leaked memo has made clear the move is being considered.

The MP claims resources are being channelled to Hartlepool while North Tees is left "to wither on the vine."

He says he will be seeking urgent answers from both Tees health authority and Health Secretary Mr Alan Milburn.

But the trust's chief executive Mrs Jean Rogers said the organisation was committed to providing two good local hospitals.

And she said there were no firm proposals to change any services.

"If these reports are true, they run counter to everything I have been told time and time again by the chief executive and others who have assured me services at North Tees are safe," said Mr Cook.

"It seems they are transferring everything that is good into Hartlepool and letting North Tees wither on the vine. I am not prepared to accept this policy.

"It is time people knew of the serious level of concerns about what is happening at North Tees.

"It is frightening that the hospital has lost 22 consultants in two years and that, according to reports, there are only two pathologists when there should be six."

He said many elderly people are orthopaedics patients and they and their families would face huge difficulties if they were forced to travel to Hartlepool for treatment.

Mrs Rogers said the trust was looking at ways to improve services in line with government guidelines. Orthopaedics was one area under consideration and once any plans were produced there would be formal consultation.

"But we assure everyone that any changes proposed are aimed at improving the care for patients," she said.

Mrs Rogers said the trust had recruited 39 new consultants in the past two years with only 12 having left.

"This is a great achievement at a time of great movement among medical staff in the NHS," she said.