HEALTH bosses have unanimously backed plans to close a stroke unit in Darlington in favour of a centralised service in Durham.
The controversial decision, debated by the board of County Durham and Darlington PCT today, means the hyperacute stroke unit in Darlington Memorial Hospital will close.
Anyone suffering a suspected stroke in the PCT area will now be taken by ambulance to the University Hospital of North Durham.
The proposal has attracted strong opposition, particularly in Darlington, but experts have said it would be impossible to run stroke services from both hospitals because of a shortage of specialists.
Read The Northern Echo on Wednesday for the full story.
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