NEW digital signs displaying estimated waiting times could be unveiled in the grounds of East Lancashire’s under-pressure accident and emergency unit.

Health chiefs hope that by giving a clear indication which unit, in either Blackburn, Burnley or Accrington, is best-placed to see patients, it will ease pressures on the casualty ward.

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The three signs will have the estimated time until patients will be seen at Royal Blackburn’s A&E unit and urgent care centre, Burnley General’s urgent care centre and the minor injuries unit at Accrington Victoria.

In January, Royal Blackburn’s A&E only saw 75.3 per cent of patients within four hours, below their 95 per cent target.

And 17 patients had to wait on trolleys for more than 12 hours as the unit dealt with 14,342 cases over the month.

Several ‘surges’ in ambulance arrivals, where 10 or more arrive within an hour, were also reported during January.

One display will be positioned just off the main roundabout from Haslingden Road in Blackburn, leading to the accident and emergency unit and urgent care entrances, and main entrance.

The remaining two will go on Haslingden Road, one for traffic approaching from the M65 and the other for vehicles coming from Blackburn town centre.

County Cllr Azhar Ali, the county council’s health and wellbeing cabinet member, said: “It’s good to give patients information so they can make informed decisions about their treatment.

“But we are facing the closure of 100 pharmacies in Lancashire, due to the government’s cuts, and our out-of-hours and GP services are bursting at the seams, so people will have fewer options.”

Andy Griffiths, chief executive of Blackburn with Darwen Healthwatch, said: “We know the pressures that are facing A&E services, especially at Royal Blackburn Hospital.

“If this electronic sign can help alleviate pressures while ensuring patient safety then we would be interested to find out more about the proposals.”

Cllr Roy Davies, former chairman of Blackburn with Darwen health scrutiny committee, said: “We need to ensure that only urgent cases go to the accident and emergency, rather than it be the last stop before people do anything about their condition.”

He is also calling on the skills of local GPs, based within health centres, to be called upon, to ease the pressure on frontline services.

Duncan Hodgkinson, estates manager for Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital, said in a planning statement, said: “The proposal is for the siting of three electronic display signs in the grounds.

“The signs are to be sited so that people approaching the hospital will be able to see the treatment waiting times in all our three hospital sites, for emergency, urgent care and minor injuries units.

“By displaying the time we hope that people will divert to the site with the shortest wait. This is in line with the government target to achieve the four-hour waiting target.

“We have large numbers of people coming into the Royal Blackburn site who are not aware of the treatment available on our other hospital sites.”

James Maguire, the trust’s divisional general manager for estates and facilities, said: “We are considering displaying the trust’s A&E and urgent care centre waiting times at the entrance to the Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital.

“This information, which is also available on the homepage of our website, will help members of the public make an informed decision about their point of care, based on their illness or injury, and the length of time they may have to wait before they decide to attend.

“Choosing where to go for treatment is important, and people should consider their local pharmacy, GP and 111 services. The A&E department should be used only in an emergency.”