STAFF from accident claims firms have been escorted from hospitals in East Lancashire after touting for business in casualty waiting rooms.

Bosses have threatened personal injury representatives with tough action following reports of increasing visits to Royal Blackburn Hospital and Burnley General Hospital.

And community leaders slammed the tactics of some national ‘no win, no fee’ personal injury firms, which have been branded US-style ambulance chasers.

Retired nurse Jim Folley said he was approached at Burnley General Hospital by two "scurrilous" men who said they worked for a claims company.

The 72-year-old said he later spotted the same two men at the Blackburn hospital.

He said they came over to him after they spotted a plaster cast on his hand on Monday.

Three weeks ago he had an operation on the thumb of his right hand as he suffers from osteoporosis.

He said: "I had just been in Burnley General and walked into the car park and these two men in suits came straight over.

"They'd seen my hand and asked me whether I'd had an accident.

"I told them that it was none of their business and they just said they weren't doing any harm and walked off."

The grandfather, who lives with wife Betty, then boarded a bus to the Royal Blackburn Hospital.

He said: "The two men caught the same bus and as I got off at the stop I noticed that they were heading for the A&E department.

"I came into the department and saw that they were approaching patients but when they saw me they made a hasty retreat.

"I couldn't believe what they were doing and it is absolutely despicable that they were trying to get vulnerable and elderly people to make claims.

"The last thing people in A&E need is to be bothered by these people who are the lowest of the low.

"If someone has had a genuine accident due to a failure in health and safety then it is ok, but not just people who are trying to make a quick buck."

Security staff at both hospitals have been told to look out for the touts who would be escorted off the premises.

Craig Henderson, PFI contracts manager, said: “East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust does not tolerate any person or company making unsolicited approaches to our patients and visitors.

"In recent weeks, we have seen a slight increase in reports of personal injury representatives visiting our sites.

"The representatives have in each case either been escorted from the premises or have run from the hospital site as soon as they recognised that security guards were on their way.

“All staff members have been reminded that they should contact the security office if they see any personal injury representative making any kind of approach to patients or visitors.

"I would ask any person who is stopped by a representative to alert a member of staff as soon as possible.”

Michael Corrigan, senior partner at Farleys Solicitors based in Blackburn, said any solicitors who picked up work from these touts would be in breach of the Solicitors Code of Conduct.

He said: "It is scandalous and it is taking ambulance chasing to a new extreme.

"These would be non-qualified persons whose only interest is to make money out of their victims and they are most likely to be from a claims management company.

"They get people signed and sell the claim to solicitors who will not usually be based in the local area.

"It is beyond me why anyone would sign up to this.

"We should report these people to the authorities because they are making unsolicited approaches and are breaking the code of conduct."

The introduction of no-win no-fee legislation in 1995 and the reduction in legal aid allowed for personal injury claims has led to the growth of these companies.

Russ McLean, chairman of The Patient Voices Group, said it was a trend that was sweeping across hospitals in the country.

He said: "I find it quite appalling that patients are being bothered when they are ill. It is ambulance chasing at its worst.

"It makes me want to pull my hair out because these patients are already at their lowest ebb and the last thing they need is being chased by claims companies wanting to cash in on their injuries."

Burnley MP Gordon Birtwistle also hit out at the claims' staff.

Mr Birtwistle said: "These people are disgraceful.

"They are costing the country millions because they are stuffing up the insurance rates.”