PATIENTS at a hospital can now access a new respiratory unit after its opening this week.

The new Respiratory Assessment Unit (RAU) at the Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital opened on Monday (October 30).

It follows months of planning and preparation by East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust (ELHT) bosses as part of the hospital’s preparations for the busy winter period.

The unit will treat patients from the age of 18 upwards, with respiratory conditions including COPD, asthma and pneumonia.

Managed by a team of specialist respiratory nurses, the RAU will focus on assessing, stabilising and treating patients who require hospital treatment, but can be discharged home the same day.

Patients will be referred to the unit via the emergency department, urgent care centres and acute medical units.

They will also transfer from inpatient wards or be referred from their GP, where they will be referred to relevant follow-up services in the community when they are discharged from the unit.

Tony McDonald, deputy director of operations for ELHT said they were ‘extremely excited’ about the opening of the new unit.

He said: “The new facility will mean more timely and appropriate care for patients with respiratory conditions.

“An additional advantage to the unit is that it will mean patients who are suitable for the new service will have less time to wait in the emergency department.

“This, in turn, frees up capacity so that other patients can also be seen quicker by emergency department staff.

“We are extremely excited about the unit’s opening.”

The plans are part of £5m - £10m of capital funding to pay for an expansion of Royal Blackburn Hospital’s A&E and to provide two extra clinical rooms.