Hexham hospital's urgent care unit night closure extended

An urgent care unit in Northumberland is to stay closed overnight for longer than planned.

Hexham General Hospital's centre was shut on 18 July for four weeks.

However Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust said it would now remain closed between 22:00 and 08:00 for an "indeterminate period".

Chief operating officer for surgery, clinical support and child health, Marion Dickson, said the decision was taken with "great reluctance".

"We deeply regret that the staffing issues which caused the initial suspension have proven hard to resolve sustainably despite making every possible effort," she said.

The decision was taken purely on safety grounds, the trust said.

"It just wouldn't be safe to reopen at this point and compromising on patient safety is something which we will never do," Ms Dickson said.

Emergency care units in Hexham and Wansbeck were closed overnight for 11 months from November 2016, so staff could focus on "very high demand" during the day.

Overnight emergencies were diverted to the Northumbria Hospital in Cramlington.