Parents attending York District Hospital will soon no longer be able to leave their children at a visitors' creche facility - thanks to council regulations.

Until now out-patients and those visiting the seriously ill have been able to drop their youngsters off at a play area, monitored by a nursery nurse.

But new local government regulations mean that two nurses have to be employed.

This, coupled with the fact that the existing play area is crumbling, has prompted hospital chiefs to axe the service, leaving parents and guardians having to watch over their children while visiting in-patients or getting treatment themselves.

In the play area's place will be several "playstations" to be set up at waiting areas around the hospital.

Concern has been raised by some members of staff, worried at the potential increase in children accompanying parents.

Hospital spokeswoman Susan Acott explained: "There has been concern among staff in the out-patient areas, about having more children around. It could raise other issues.

"We would have had to have built a new play area and builders' quotes have ranged from £70,000 to £300,000. This cost, plus the fact that to comply with recent requirements we would have to employ two nursery nurses, has meant that we have come up with the alternative of improving existing out-patient areas.

"There will be what we call playstations for children to play in. It does put the onus on the person bringing the children to monitor them themselves."

Malcolm Palmer, chief officer of York's Community Health Council, said: "Ideally what we would like to see is a circumstance where the people who use the creche were given the opportunity to comment on what a suitable alternative may be."

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