A NEW mental health unit for East Lancashire could be created alongside the region’s accident and emergency department.

Land off Haslingden Road in Blackburn has been earmarked for a multi-million pound 116-bed centre, to replace wards at the Royal Blackburn and Burnley General hospital sites, since 2014.

But Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust, the county’s mental health services provider, is now discussing the possibility of integrating its new facility within the main estate at the Royal Blackburn site.

Until a review of mental health provisions is completed, as part of the Lancashire and South Cumbria Change Programme, no final decisions have yet been made.

New psychiatric intensive care centres have been established at The Harbour, in Blackpool, and Lancaster, with any resolutions still outstanding for both Central and East Lancashire.

A Lancashire Care spokesman said: “The option to purchase land and develop a mental health facility adjacent to the Royal Blackburn Hospital site remains.

“Among the range of options being considered is the original preferred option of redeveloping a site on the Royal Blackburn Hospital estate.

“This will help to manage the increase in patients presenting at A&E and will also further enhance joint working between mental health and A&E teams and complement additional provision that has been put in place at the hospital recently.”

Recently a crisis support unit and assessment beds have been installed at the Royal Blackburn, to provide more immediate support for patients with mental health difficulties.

“This is providing a more responsive service to patients and also serves to take some pressure off A&E and mental health beds, by avoiding a long term admission,” added the spokesman.

East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust has reported there were five breaches of their 12-hour trolley waiting standard in the accident and emergency department in February and March, all related to patients being admitted with mental health issues.

“Mental health demand and the timely availability of mental health beds remains an issue,” said Mark Johnson, the trust’s performance director in a board report.

“There continues to be significant numbers of attendances in relation to mental health, which are resource intensive for the department.”