East Lancashire snow: Monday health service update (From Lancashire Telegraph)

East Lancashire snow: Monday health service update

7:10am Monday 11th January 2010 in News By Neil Docking, Reporter

LONE RIDER: A cyclist braves the blizzard in Darwen Street, Blackburn

Services at East Lancashire hospitals and health centres are running as normal.

People are being urged to ensure they visit the correct health service, with extra pressure on casualty due to the number of slips and falls.

The ambulance’s patient transfer service is axed until tomorrow.

Emergency ambulances are continuing to be busy but run as normal.

Two air ambulances are on constant stand-by for Lancashire at present as the county is the worst weather-hit area in the region.

Last week, the North West Ambulance Service declared the weather was a 'major incident' but has since downgraded its alert status.

Hospitals bosses said that patients who are unable to get to hospital should call the number on their appointment card to inform staff so their attendance can be rescheduled as soon as possible.

Michelle Montague, East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust's outpatients booking manager, said: "We don't want patients to put themselves at risk in their efforts to get to hospital, so they should not travel unless they are safe to do so.

"But if they do not inform us that they cannot attend, staff are left waiting for them unnecessarily, when they could be attending to emergency patients."

East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs the Royal Blackburn Hospital, Burnley General Hospital, Pendle Community Hospital and the Rossendale Hospital, said its “robust plans”, made annually to cope with extreme weather, had ensured it was “business as usual” for staff and patients.

A hospital spokesman said: “Members of the public can help keep essential hospital services running smoothly throughout the severe weather by ensuring that they choose well and get the right healthcare service for their needs.”

Useful links

North West Ambulance Service

Lancashire Police

East Lancs Health Trust

Watch our video of people struggling in the snow in Blackburn.

Have you had to call out the emergency services in the snow? Let us know by adding your comments below.