A DEDICATED service for patients with spinal cord injuries is being transferred to Teesside ahead of schedule.

The new North of England Spinal Cord Injuries Centre, which is being built at South Cleveland Hospital, Middlesbrough, is due to open in September 2001 and will provide all surgical treatment and investigate facilities on one site.

The state-of-the-art centre will include a six-bed high dependency unit, and 24 rehabilitation facilities for inpatients and outpatients.

Serving a population of about three million people in the northern region, it will also provide lifelong follow-up care for both newly-injured and almost 1,000 people already affected by spinal cord injury.

Follow-up services will also be provided at outreach clinics in the region and, when necessary, at home by a team of clinical nurse specialists.

It was anticipated that, until September, the service would continue to be provided from two sites - a four-bed high dependency ward at Middlesbrough General Hospital and a 16-bed rehabilitation ward at Hexham General Hospital.

However, Hexham General is having a new hospital built on its existing site and, due to the tight construction timetables on both sites, it has been decided to transfer the rehabilitation service to Middlesbrough General Hospital next April.

Project manager for the regional spinal injuries unit, Sue Greaves, said a number of nursing, physiotherapy and occupational therapy staff will move from Hexham to Middlesbrough.

She said: "For those who are not moving, there is some understandable sadness at the closure of the Hexham service.

"However, there is also recognition that this early transfer will ensure the continuation of a comprehensive package of care which is so essential for this group of patients.

"Staff from Hexham and Middlesbrough will continue to work hard to ensure that the service in Middlesbrough is ready to take patients in April, and that the service transfers as smoothly as possible with a minimum impact on patients