Bishop Auckland General Hospital
Encyclopedia
Bishop Auckland Hospital is a small NHS
district general hospital serving the western part of County Durham
, with a primarily rural catchment area centred on the Wear Valley
. It was opened in 2002 and then had around 286 beds, but this number has since been cut substantially. There has been much controversy over the recent 'decline of services' in this hospital . The hospital is part of the County Durham and Darlington Foundation Trust.
The issue which made much controversy was the loss of the special care baby unit (SCBU)
Special care babies are now cared for at Darlington Memorial Hospital
,
Ward 3 (Haematology) was also closed down, and surgical beds were greatly cut, so that now only relatively minor surgical procedures are carried out at the hospital.
The overall quality and use of services in the trust (County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust) was rated as 'Good' by the HealthCare Commission Ratings. The other two main sites in the trust are Darlington Memorial Hospital
and University Hospital of North Durham
.
In June 2009, it was announced that the hospital's children's ward will close from 1 July 2009, with all services transferred to Darlington and Durham, a decision that was attacked by campaigners against the hospital's downgrading, but defended by NHS management on the basis of paediatric specialists being "spread too thin".
The latest change is the loss of acute services at the hospital (Oct 2009). The reasons given for this by the trust were that services were being spread too thinly and there were insufficient doctors, money and resources to run three A&E departments within the trust efficiently http://www.seizingthefuture.org.uk/. However opponents to this view have argued that the downgrading of emergency services will mean that for people in the Wear Valley area will have to travel significantly further to access A&E services and believe than in many cases this could mean a difference of life and death. The local council had spent much money on protesting against the closure of services at the hospital http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/3765923.Vote_to_spend_cash_on_hospital_closure_protest/.
The nearest Accident and Emergency departments are based at Darlington Memorial Hospital
and University Hospital of North Durham
The hospital provides day case surgery, and low risk planned operations for the County Durham and Darlington area. It also provides rehabilitation services including inpatients, day care and outpatients. It has a wide range of outpatient services and primary care services such as colorectal screening. The hospital also has a mid wife lead maternity for low risk births.
National Health Service (England)
The National Health Service or NHS is the publicly funded healthcare system in England. It is both the largest and oldest single-payer healthcare system in the world. It is able to function in the way that it does because it is primarily funded through the general taxation system, similar to how...
district general hospital serving the western part of County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
, with a primarily rural catchment area centred on the Wear Valley
Wear Valley
Wear Valley was, from 1974 to 2009, a local government district in County Durham, England. Its council was based in Crook.The district covered much of the Weardale area. In the west it was parished and rural, whereas in the east it was more urban...
. It was opened in 2002 and then had around 286 beds, but this number has since been cut substantially. There has been much controversy over the recent 'decline of services' in this hospital . The hospital is part of the County Durham and Darlington Foundation Trust.
The issue which made much controversy was the loss of the special care baby unit (SCBU)
Special care babies are now cared for at Darlington Memorial Hospital
Darlington Memorial Hospital
Darlington Memorial Hospital provides acute hospital services for the area around Darlington, South Durham and parts of North Yorkshire. Its quality of services and use of resources were rated 'excellent' by the HealthCare Commission Ratings....
,
Ward 3 (Haematology) was also closed down, and surgical beds were greatly cut, so that now only relatively minor surgical procedures are carried out at the hospital.
The overall quality and use of services in the trust (County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust) was rated as 'Good' by the HealthCare Commission Ratings. The other two main sites in the trust are Darlington Memorial Hospital
Darlington Memorial Hospital
Darlington Memorial Hospital provides acute hospital services for the area around Darlington, South Durham and parts of North Yorkshire. Its quality of services and use of resources were rated 'excellent' by the HealthCare Commission Ratings....
and University Hospital of North Durham
University Hospital of North Durham
The University Hospital of North Durham , provides acute services for the north of County Durham, north east England; including Durham, Chester-le-Street and the former district of Derwentside. The hospital is operated by County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust. The Chief Executive is...
.
In June 2009, it was announced that the hospital's children's ward will close from 1 July 2009, with all services transferred to Darlington and Durham, a decision that was attacked by campaigners against the hospital's downgrading, but defended by NHS management on the basis of paediatric specialists being "spread too thin".
The latest change is the loss of acute services at the hospital (Oct 2009). The reasons given for this by the trust were that services were being spread too thinly and there were insufficient doctors, money and resources to run three A&E departments within the trust efficiently http://www.seizingthefuture.org.uk/. However opponents to this view have argued that the downgrading of emergency services will mean that for people in the Wear Valley area will have to travel significantly further to access A&E services and believe than in many cases this could mean a difference of life and death. The local council had spent much money on protesting against the closure of services at the hospital http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/3765923.Vote_to_spend_cash_on_hospital_closure_protest/.
Services provided
From October 2009 the hospital has become a centre for planned care. http://www.cddft.nhs.uk/Contact+Us/Hospital+Sites/BishopAucklandGeneralHospital.htmThe nearest Accident and Emergency departments are based at Darlington Memorial Hospital
Darlington Memorial Hospital
Darlington Memorial Hospital provides acute hospital services for the area around Darlington, South Durham and parts of North Yorkshire. Its quality of services and use of resources were rated 'excellent' by the HealthCare Commission Ratings....
and University Hospital of North Durham
University Hospital of North Durham
The University Hospital of North Durham , provides acute services for the north of County Durham, north east England; including Durham, Chester-le-Street and the former district of Derwentside. The hospital is operated by County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust. The Chief Executive is...
The hospital provides day case surgery, and low risk planned operations for the County Durham and Darlington area. It also provides rehabilitation services including inpatients, day care and outpatients. It has a wide range of outpatient services and primary care services such as colorectal screening. The hospital also has a mid wife lead maternity for low risk births.