From week commencing 14 July 2025, the Urgent Treatment Centre (UTC) at Shotley Bridge Community Hospital will temporarily close overnight (12am–8am) for a period of three months.
This decision has been made to keep services safe for patients and staff. The UTC will continue to be open every day from 8am until midnight, which is when most people use the service.
Why is this happening?
It has become difficult to staff the overnight shift safely and consistently. Since January, the UTC has had to close overnight on 65 occasions, and on nearly 100 occasions, the Trust has made the decision not to staff the night shift so that daytime care could be protected.
Very few people attend the UTC during the overnight hours, on average there are five attendances during this overnight period.
By focusing our resources during the times when people need care most, in the daytime and evening, we can make the service safer and more reliable overall.
What if I need care overnight?
- Visit NHS 111 online or call 111 - available 24/7 for advice and direction to the most appropriate service
- Emergency Department at University Hospital of North Durham (UHND) - for serious or life-threatening conditions
- This temporary closure is not related to the New Hospital Programme. That is a separate, long-term development still in the planning stages. This change is being made purely for immediate safety and operational reasons.
Listening to you
We know this is an important service for local people, and we’re committed to being open about how the change is working. We’ll be reviewing how it goes and listening to feedback throughout the three months.
There will be an engagement session on Monday 7 July at 4pm – 5pm in the previous canteen area at Shotley Bridge Community Hospital.
Thank you for your understanding as we take this step to keep services safe and sustainable.