THE controversial closure of a hospital’s children’s and maternity services is finally coming to an end.

Health chiefs have confirmed that normal services will resume at the Friarage Hospital in Northallerton on Monday.

The services were suspended at Northallerton and switched to Middlesbrough in the middle of July - to the alarm of many locals.

Health chiefs said at the time said a temporary closure was necessary because an unprecedented level of paediatric staffing issues.

The South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said the crisis made it impossible to continue to run safe, high quality services in both Northallerton and Middlesbrough.

Children’s inpatient services, the special care baby unit and high risk maternity services for women were all affected.

There was also impact on the accident and emergency department at the Friarage as there was no consultant paediatric cover there.

However the full range of services will resume from 9am on Monday following the appointment of two more paediatric consultants and additional locum cover.

The trust’s director of planning, Jill Moulton, admitted the closure had caused widespread debate and highlighted how small hospitals can become vulnerable if hit by high levels of long-term sickness.

But she insisted that they had made the right decision and said: "Patient safety must always be our overriding concern."

She added: "I would also like to add our assurance to the local population that as a trust, we remain committed to the overall future of the Friarage Hospital and its role in terms of providing hospital services to the people of Hambleton and Richmondshire."