CARE minister Norman Lamb praised Burnley General Hospital’s ‘passionate’ staff.

The Liberal Democrat visited Casterton Avenue hospital to mark the first anniversary of the £9 million urgent care centre, and run his eye over the site of the proposed new ophthalmology unit.

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Mr Lamb was accompanied by Burnley MP Gordon Birtwistle and met with staff including Dr Ian Stanley, medical director of the East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust.

During his tour of the wards, he also praised Mr Birtwistle’s £50,000 fundraising efforts which have contributed towards a new prostate scanner.

He said the equipment, housed in the ophthalmology and urology investigation units, had led to swifter diagnoses and the ability to scan more patients at each clinic session.

After being shown round the urgent care centre by matron Julie Kay, he labelled the hospital a ‘fantastic facility’.

Mr Lamb said: “I have been immensely impressed with everything I have seen here.

“The staff are clearly passionate and proud of the place they work in and the service they provide.

“There is certainly a very positive culture and the sense of staff striving to do their best for the local community.”

Mr Lamb, whose portfolio includes palliative and end of life care, then met the specialist palliative care team discuss the importance of such care and the introduction of the trust’s One Chance to Get it Right approach.

He was then shown around Ward 16 which cares for elderly patients, many of whom have a diagnosis of dementia, by sister Shirley Vicary.

Mr Birtwistle said he would be pushing the case for a new £15 million ophthalmology unit with the health secretary, Jeremy Hunt, and Chief secretary to the treasury, Danny Alexander, next week.

He said: “The visit went brilliantly and Norman was well-received by staff and patients, while he was very, very impressed with the hospital.

“He’s a very experienced man in his field and I think people appreciated him visiting. This hospital is going to be a leader in end of life care and it was great for him to come and discuss that with staff.”