A ROW has erupted over a £9million investment in the Urgent Care Centre at Burnley General Hospital.

Bosses at East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust have put a bid in for funding to the Department of Health for a new unit to handle emergency cases at the hospital.

But health campaigners have accused MP Gordon Birtwistle, who helped put the bid together for the Trust and convinced the Government to commit to the funding, of ‘gross exaggeration’ for the plans.

Azhar Ali, former chairman of Burnley NHS Trust and hospital campaigner, said: “I can understand that MP's like Gordon Birtwistle, who owe their positions in large part to their promises to bring a full 'blue light' service back to Burnley, are desperate to be seen to be doing something.

“However, this political spinning of an already planned development shows the depth to which the Lib Dem MP will sink. He should do the decent thing and make an unconditional public apology to the people of Burnley and Pendle.”

Mr Birtwistle hit back though and accused the local Labour party of acting against the best interest of the town.

He said: “The local Labour party have no right to comment on the hospital, as it was under their watch that such vital services were relocated to Blackburn.

“Neither Kitty Usher nor Gordon Prentice raised any arguments with the Labour government at the time to fight for the hospital services to remain in Burnley.

“I am surprised that Azhar Ali has so much to say about the A&E now, as when he was chairman of Burnley NHS trust he had very little to say on the reduction in services at our beloved hospital.

“I have fought tooth and nail for the hospital, I will continue to do so and I will not apologise for the dogged determination with which I campaign for local hospital services.”

Mr Birtwistle said that he had secured between £9million and £12million for the scheme, depending on the cost, and applauded the NHS Trust for only bidding for £9million.