North Tees hospital nursery to officially close despite hard-fought campaign to save it

A hospital nursery closes today despite a hard-fought campaign to save it.

North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust confirmed its nurseries at the hospitals of North Tees and Hartlepool are permanently closed from December 31.

The service had provided 178 childcare places across the two sites.

The Stockton-based nursery provided creche facilities primarily for hospital staff’s children aged from six weeks up to seven, but also for families in the wider community.

But the trust said the facility had become “uneconomic to run” and over the past four years it has made a total anticipated loss of more than £765,000 subsidising the nursery.

At the shock news of the closure in September - when more than 50 staff were given 90 days’ notice - campaigners immediately launched a campaign to save the nursery.

Parents Jamie Picken and Debbie Ling set up the Stop the Closure campaign and launched an online petition which garnered nearly 500 signatures in less than two days.

But the campaigners reluctantly threw in the towel last month, saying it was important for parents to secure alternative childcare for their children.

The defeat came after talks between the trust and private firms who had expressed an interest in running the nursery came to nothing.

Earlier this month Cara Woods posted on the Friends of North Tees and Hartlepool Children’s Day Nursery Facebook page: “Very sad end to the day collecting Ethan after his last day at the nursery.

“Huge thanks and praise to all the lovely ladies who have helped Ethan bloom in confidence. All the best to all the staff and thank you so much!”

A spokesperson for North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust said: “Our nurseries will close on December 31 and we would like to thank the staff who have provided a good service for staff and their children and wish them well for the future.”