Patients who were temporarily moved out of a community hospital will be transferred back this weekend after the completion of essential safety work.

The full fire alarm system at Weardale Community Hospital has been replaced - work that could not be carried out while patients were receiving care at the building in Stanhope.

From Monday, February 6, patients were transferred to ward six at Bishop Auckland Hospital, and following a deep cleaning process they will return to Weardale on Saturday and Sunday, March 4 and 5.

Noel Scanlon, executive director of nursing for County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust, said: "We are hugely grateful the support and patience from patients and their families and our colleagues during this temporary relocation over the past four weeks.

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"We successfully and safely moved patients from Weardale Community Hospital to ward six at Bishop Auckland Hospital over the weekend of February 4 and 5. And now the work has been completed, we will safely transfer patients from ward six at Bishop Auckland Hospital to Weardale Community Hospital.

“We will do this in a planned way using patient transport services and supported by our own colleagues to minimise distress and make sure our patients are as comfortable as possible during the move.

"Our nursing and therapy teams also moved with our patients so there was a consistency to their care and familiar faces to support them during the temporary move.”

Louise West, community matron, for the trust, added: "We will continue to speak with patients and families in the lead up to the move back to Weardale and are happy to answer any questions and to ensure they feel supported."