EAST Lancashire's hospitals are set for their biggest-ever influx of doctors -- helping to improve patient care and reduce overtime payments.

In an unprecedented move, the Government has made money available for hospitals in the Cumbria and Lancashire area to take on around 140 extra posts, known as specialist registrars, over the next year.

They will be spread over eight general hospitals in the area, of which Queen's Park and Blackburn Royal Infirmary together and Burnley General Hospital count as two.

John Thomas, chief executive of East Lancashire Hospitals Trust, which has submitted a bid for up to 40 of the extra posts, said if the bid was successful it would be a major step to improve hospital services in the area.

He said: "I have never known such an allocation in my time within the NHS.

"We expect to receive between 30 and 40 specialist doctors and this would be a massive boost. The posts will enable specialist registrars to train towards becoming consultants.

"A successful bid would enable us to reduce junior doctors hours to meet the European Working Time Directive which comes into force next year.

"It would also enable us to bring down the cost of overtime paid to doctors." He said over the past few decades, areas such as East Lancashire had often been overlooked in favour of other areas in the North West when specialist registrars had been allocated.

The trust medical director Dr Peter Erhardt said hopefully a large proportion of the registrars would stay on in East Lancashire to become consultants after their four years of training.

He said: "The NHS long term plan is for more and more care to be provided by consultants but there have been recruitment problems. If the registrars have been happy here and a consultant post comes up here I think they would be quite likely to want to stay here."

The results of the bid are likely to be known later this summer.

Hyndburn MP Greg Pope said: "I will do everything I can to support this bid and make sure the area gets its fair share of these doctors. I think it's brilliant news for my constituents.

"The people of Hyndburn will get the health care they deserve because this will reduce waiting lists and times -- this is exactly the sort of investment the NHS needs.""

Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans said: "Clearly more specialist registrars in key specialities is good news and I fully support any bid to get them into East Lancashire. Hopefully, this will reduce huge waiting lists in certain specialities that some patients find."