The overnight closure of Shotley Bridge Hospital’s urgent treatment centre in County Durham has been extended until January 2026, the County Durham and Darlington NHS Trust has confirmed. The facility, which has served the local community for over a century, was initially closed overnight for three months from July but will now remain shut between midnight and 08:00 BST.
The trust said the “difficult decision” was necessary to allow continued recruitment and stabilisation of the workforce. Despite the closure, daytime services at the treatment centre will continue to operate as normal from 08:00 to midnight, seven days a week. NHS officials are actively recruiting advanced nurse practitioners to bolster the service, with one recently hired. However, the departure of three staff members means the centre cannot safely operate overnight.
Residents and campaigners have raised concerns about the ongoing closure. Many warn that the lack of local overnight urgent care will place additional pressure on nearby NHS services, including University Hospital North Durham, which has been receiving an average of one patient per night from the Shotley Bridge area during the temporary shutdown. So far, there have reportedly been no incidents or complaints related to the closure.
Councillor Kathryn Rooney, Liberal Democrat for Consett North, has urged action to halt the overnight closure. She has submitted a motion to Durham County Council asking members to support a campaign for the restoration of 24-hour services, highlighting the importance of accessible care for residents in the Shotley Bridge area.
Shotley Bridge Hospital has a long history of adapting to the changing needs of the community. The site began life in 1912 as a tuberculosis hospital following the acquisition of the Whinney House Estate and later became a mental health facility in 1927. During the Second World War, it served as the Shotley Bridge Emergency Hospital specialising in plastic surgery. After joining the NHS as Shotley Bridge General Hospital in 1948, it was once one of the largest hospitals in the Northern Region. Most acute services were transferred to the new University Hospital of North Durham in 2001, leaving Shotley Bridge as a community hospital.
The trust emphasises that the extended overnight closure is not linked to long-term redevelopment plans. Construction of a new hospital in Consett, including an in-patient rehabilitation ward and an urgent treatment centre, is expected to be completed by 2030. A spokesperson said, “The decision has no impact on the new hospital plans, which remain a long-term strategic development currently in the planning stages.”
For now, Shotley Bridge Hospital continues to provide vital daytime services to the community, offering urgent care and support for local residents. The trust says safety remains its priority, and the extended overnight closure reflects a commitment to providing services that are clinically appropriate, safe, and sustainable.
While the closure has caused concern, NHS staff and the trust are focused on recruiting sufficient personnel to ensure that, in the future, overnight services can resume safely. Residents are encouraged to use alternative urgent care facilities during the closure and to report any issues through the trust’s official channels.
The extended overnight closure serves as a reminder of the ongoing challenges facing community hospitals in maintaining staffing levels while continuing to provide high-quality care. With recruitment efforts underway, the hope is that Shotley Bridge Hospital overnight closure will be temporary, allowing the hospital to resume full 24-hour operations and continue its long tradition of supporting the local community.
