£9m. new urgent care centre for Burnley General Hospital

This week Health Secretary Andrew Lansley announced a bid for government cash from East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust had been successful.

It is believed the new facility will be built on the existing Burnley General Hospital site, off Briercliffe Road, close to Phase V and Lancashire Women and Newborn Centre, and could open in 18 months.

Hospital bosses and health campaigners, who petitioned against the transfer of “blue light” emergency services to Blackburn in 2007 under the Meeting Patients’ Needs programme, said they were delighted with the news.

Burnley MP Gordon Birtwistle said it was the news campaigners had been waiting for. “It’s been a lot of hard work. I’m really really pleased this is going to happen and I’m delighted for all those people in Burnley who have signed our petition to return hospital services to Burnley.”

Mr Birtwistle now wants to see a children’s ward returned to Burnley General Hospital.

Mrs Lynn Wissett, deputy chief executive of East Lancashire Hospitals Trust, stressed that patients would continue to go to Royal Blackburn Hospital for emergency treatment. “As we have previously stated, patients will receive emergency care and treatment at the Royal Blackburn Hospital, with patients currently attending Burnley Urgent Care Centre continuing to do so, as has been the case since November 2007.”

There’s more on this story in your weekend Express.

Great news for Burnley or does this still fall short of what we need? Have your say below ...