Expansion of University Hospital North Durham’s A&E delayed

The two-storey facility, which is set to be built next to University Hospital North Durham, was approved in January 2023 but is dependent on funding availability. 

County Durham and Darlington NHS Trust previously said the new site would help cope with the increased demands on NHS services because the current facility is no longer fit for purpose. 

Now, in a new update, the trust said it still hopes to deliver the scheme despite the lack of major progress in the three years since it was approved. 

Dryburn House, which is due to be demolished as part of North Durham University Hospital’s A&E extension. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

A spokesperson added: “The trust remains committed to expanding the Emergency Department at University Hospital North Durham, recognising the significant growth in demand and the importance of improving patient care pathways.”

The hospital’s East Wing corridor has been demolished but other works have been halted. 

Initial plans for the development said Dryburn House, a Grade II listed former hospital building opposite the Accident and Emergency (A&E) facility, would be demolished to make way for the extension, while a memorial garden used by parents to remember their babies would be relocated.

Health officials estimated the number of A&E attendances could increase to 79,000 per year despite the facility being designed for just 30,000. 

The trust spokesperson said: “As part of the early enabling works for this scheme, the trust has completed the demolition of the East Wing corridor in preparation for redevelopment.

“Any future development is dependent on securing sufficient capital funding and meeting planning requirements, including considerations linked to the listed Dryburn House building.

“While the redevelopment remains a key strategic priority for the trust, delivery will be dependent on funding availability and regulatory approval.”

A similar proposal was approved in 2017 but expired before the 2023 planning application was approved. Dryburn House was once the home of railway baron William Lloyd Wharton, who ran the North East Railway Company, and was later used as part of the hospital, but is now deemed outdated.

Delays to the Durham hospital scheme come as Shotley Bridge Hospital’s urgent treatment centre has been closed since July, and is not expected to open until at least March. During the closure, patients from the Shotley Bridge area have been redirected to University Hospital of North Durham.