CONTROVERSIAL plans to concentrate vital 'hyperacute' stroke treatment services at a single County Durham hospital have been announced.

If the proposals are accepted it will mean that patients in County Durham and Darlington who suffer a suspected stroke and ring 999 will be taken by ambulance to the hyperacute stroke treatment unit at the University Hospital of North Durham.

At present the 24 hours a day service - which involves suspected stroke patients being given a brain scan to see if they will benefit from clot-busting drugs - alternates between the Durham City hospital and Darlington Memorial Hospital.

However, the head of the trust's stroke service, Dr Bernard Essisi, has made it clear that this two-centre approach is not viable in the long term.

Managers at the trust say Government pressure to ensure more stroke patients are given rapid treatment and a shortage of stroke specialists nationally means that centralising the service at Durham City is the only realistic solution.

Research carried out by the trust shows that during 2010, 925 stroke patients were taken to the Durham City hospital compared with 683 who went to Darlington.

The trust also points to a survey of journey times which demonstrates that more stroke patients travelled further to get to Darlington compared to patients who travelled to Durham City.

But Darlington MP Jenny Chapman vowed to fight the proposals.

She said: "I will be working side by side with the Friends of Darlington Memorial Hospital to put a case for the hyperacute stroke service to be centralised in Darlington.

"I will be looking extremely closely at the data which I believe is being interpreted in a certain way.

"Darlington is the largest centre of population in the trust's area. It makes no sense at all to require people to travel up to Durham City."

The trust still hopes to be able to assess and treat suspected stroke patients at Darlington's A & E department if they walk in.

Weekly stroke clinics will continue at the Memorial.

The consultation is being hosted by NHS County Durham and Darlington which will decide whether to approve the plans.

Durham County Council and Darlington Borough Council will also be consulted.

Consultation meetings

The consultation will last until September 11. Copies of the document can be downloaded at haveasay.org from Monday.

Monday, July 11
Sedgefield Parish Hall, Front Street, Sedgefield. 3pm-4.30pm

Monday, July 18
The Four Clocks Centre, 145a Newgate Street, Bishop Auckland. 1.30pm-3pm

Wednesday, July 20
Blackhills Community Centre, Derwent Street, Consett. 4pm- 5.30pm

Thursday, July 21
The Greenhills Centre, Wheatley Hill Community Association, Wheatley Hill. 1.30pm-3pm

Monday, July 25
Durham Town Hall, Market Place, Durham City. 1.30pm-3pm

Monday, August 22
The Arts Centre, Vane Terrace, Darlington. 2pm-3.30pm

Monday, August 22
The Arts Centre, Vane Terrace, Darlington. 6.30pm-8pm

Thursday, September 1
The Witham Hall, Horsemarket, Barnard Castle. 2pm-3.30pm