THE first patients have been admitted to the region's newest hospital.
The £97m University Hospital of North West Durham opened its doors to the public for the first time this morning.
Patients were transferred the short distance from Dryburn Hospital, which is on the same site.
The Accident and Emergency Department was the first to move and there was a limited service overnight, while the changeover took place.
Other inpatient wards and support services will transfer to the building this week.
They include surgical wards, operating theatres, intensive care and the x-ray department.
Preparations for the move started in December when work began to install the new equipment.
Staff have taken part in a series of training exercises, and there was a formal induction in February, to familiarise themselves with the new machinery.
Outpatient departments will move when the second phase of the hospital is completed, in August.
Once inside the hospital, patients will find the facilities are much more modern than those at Dryburn, which was built as an emergency medical services unit during the Second World War.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article