Weardale Community Hospital in Stanhope, County Durham is one of six Community Hospital/Units within the Care Closer to Home, Care Group which is one of three Care Groups making up County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust.

WCH is a Nurse led unit with Medical Support and was opened in January 2002.  The hospital comprises of 20 beds with sub-acute, rehabilitation, intermediate care, long term conditions and palliative and end of life care facilities.  We have no dedicated beds but accept admissions from all the surrounding acute hospitals and community admissions being arranged on a needs basis.

We work in partnership with the Butterwick Hospice to provide a weekly Palliative Care Support Day (Thursday).  Blood Transfusion and Intravenous Services are delivered by all six Community Hospitals which specifically benefit our Palliative Care patients.

Future expansion of our hospital for rehabilitation, general and mental health day care provision and a Neurological Day Hospice service , as well as extra office space is being proposed.

Community Care leads the way in health care provision and is exciting and innovative. Health care has never been lead from this direction before in such a dynamic way, therefore the Community Hospitals are finally in the forefront of care delivery.