IT is fewer than four months since controversial plans to reorganise hospital services in County Durham and Darlington went ahead.

Despite a passionate campaign by local people, the reorganisation – under the banner “Seizing The Future”

– included the closure of the accident and emergency department at Bishop Auckland General Hospital.

It was a painful process, which culminated in acute medical services being concentrated at Darlington Memorial Hospital and The University Hospital of North Durham.

As far as health bosses were concerned, it was an exercise in seeing the big picture and doing what was best for the majority of people.

It is a matter of concern, therefore, that we should be facing a significant adjustment to the arrangements so soon after they were put in place.

Today, we reveal new plans to close a newly-opened stroke unit at Darlington Memorial Hospital and concentrate the treatment of stroke patients in Durham City.

Officials blame a looming staffing problem for the need to reorganise again – but shouldn’t potential recruitment challenges in the highly specialised area of stroke care have formed part of the original strategy?

It has to be stressed that this is still just a proposal and no decisions have been taken.

But the significance of forcing stroke patients and their relatives in the Darlington area to travel to Durham for treatment must not be underestimated.

The future was seized. Every effort must be made to avoid further changes to a plan that was agreed after considerable consultation and understandable public anxiety.