A MINOR injuries unit in East Lancashire is to close over the Christmas period due to expected unprecedented demand at Burnley and Blackburn hospitals.

The unit at Accrington Victoria Community Hospital will close on Christmas Eve, reopening on Wednesday, December 28.

It will also be shut on New Years Eve, reopening on Tuesday, January 3.

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East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust said it had anticipated the emergency department and urgent care centres at Royal Blackburn Hospital and Burnley General Hospital will experience ‘exceptionally high demand’ over Christmas and New Year.

The trust said the closure was necessary to ensure the critically ill remained a priority.

A spokesman for the trust said: “From past experience, we can anticipate that the emergency department and urgent care centres will see exceptionally high demand for services over the Christmas and New Year holiday period and in the early weeks of January.

“Although health and social care partners are working together to maximise the availability of services, we know that demand will be high due to increasing circulating illness over the winter.

“So that we continue to see the most critically ill patients as a priority, the trust, Blackburn with Darwen Clinical Commissioning Group and East Lancashire Clinical Commissioning Group have agreed to the short term closure of the minor injuries unit at Accrington Victoria. This will mean that staff from the unit can move to support their colleagues at the Burnley urgent care centre and Blackburn emergency department and urgent care centres.”

The minor injuries unit at Accrington will be open as usual from 8am to 8.30pm on Wednesday, December 28, Thursday, December 29, and Friday, December 30.

It will be operational again seven days a week from 8am on Tuesday, January 3. The community hospital will open as normal and there will continue to be seven-day access to GP services at the walk-in centre at Accrington Victoria , 8am to 8pm.

There is also a minor injuries unit at Rossendale Health Centre which will remain open from 8am to 8pm.

In the event of an accident or emergency, patients should call an ambulance or go to the emergency department at Blackburn.

A spokesman for the trust said: “Patient safety is always our priority.

“We would like to thank the people of Blackburn with Darwen and East Lancashire for their ongoing support and understanding, and assure them that we remain committed to the provision of safe, personal and effective care.”