Care chiefs have admitted they are 'concerned' about funding to upgrade facilities at Shotley Bridge Hospital.
Health bosses secured almost £17 million to improve services about two years ago, but have been unable to commit to spending plans until a consultation on the site's future was completed.
And now, thanks to Brexit and other pressures on NHS cash , it looks like work could be pushed back even further.
"We continue to support the Shotley Bridge proposals, but we're a bit concerned about capital," said Dr Stewart Findley, chief officer for the County Durham clinical commissioning groups (CCGs).
"There's a shortage of capital in the NHS at the moment, all our trusts are having to delay some capital programmes and we don't know if Shotley Bridge will be caught up in that.
"We're trying to get assurance that that will be available in the short term, although we're sure it will be in the long term."
He added: "Until we get past October [Brexit] I don't think we will know what situation the capital is in."
Dr Findley was responding to a question from Consett councillor Owen Temple at Tuesday's (July 30) meeting of Durham County Council's Adults, Wellbeing and Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee.
Coun Temple asked for Dr Findley's assurance the funding allocated for upgrades at Shotley Bridge would not be affected plans to merge the existing North Durham CCG with the Durham Dales, Easington and Sedgefield (DDES) CCG, creating a single body for County Durham.
Merger plans to due be presented to the CCGs' governing body on August 27, with implementation expected by April.
A series of 'public engagement' events on proposals for future services at Shotley Bridge Hospital were held in April and May, with plans for a full public consultation to be held later this year.
