HEALTH and social services bosses have pledged to improve the care given to disabled children, thanks to a campaign launched by a Blackburn father.

And Blackburn MP and Foreign Secretary Jack Straw has vowed to discuss improving national guidelines with Health Minister, Patricia Hewitt.

After meeting with Ray Heeks, of Blackamoor Road, Mr Straw said that the death of Mr Heeks's two-year-old daughter Eva would not be in vain.

He also promised to personally hand over letters from other concerned parents of disabled children to the minister on Mr Heeks's behalf.

Mr Heeks, who works for Twin Valley homes, began to campaign for better care for disabled children after he said his own family struggled to get treatment, care and support from the authorities in Blackburn with Darwen.

Eva, who needed 24-hour care from her parents, and breathed with help from an oxygen tank carried in her pram, died in his arms on December 12 2004, after catching a chest infection. She caught a strain of meningitis as a baby and was unable to walk, talk or breathe on her own.

Now Mr Heeks has met with Andy Bennet, head of service for assessment and prevention in the family placement team for social services.

His wife, Julie has met with Primary Care Trust chiefs to look at ways to improve the prescription system.

Mr Heeks, said: "We always vowed to campaign for changes so no other family would have to go through what we did and finally some progress is being made.

"The meeting with Mr Bennet was very productive and he has promised to try and address some of the problems we faced.

"He is also going to take the health service problems to them and try to forge links between the agencies so that practices are in place for when situations arise where both services need to be working together.

"Finally it would seem that our voices are being heard."

Mr Straw said: "Eva's case was an absolute tragedy but if as a result of her short life and Ray's campaign things do improve that will be a positive step and a great consolation for the Heeks family."

Clare Rae, director of primary care for Blackburn with Darwen PCT, said: "A very constructive and productive meeting has taken place with Mrs Heeks and issues raised are now actively being addressed.

"I am delighted to say that as a result of the meeting Mrs Heeks has agreed to work with the PCT to help improve pharmacy services."

Blackburn with Darwen Council's director of social services, Stephen Sloss, said: "The council is unable to go into detail about specific cases, however, it is continuing to improve links with the Primary Care Trust and other organisations across the borough to ensure the needs of local residents are met."