TODAY the Lancashire Telegraph is launching a campaign to ensure critical hospital services are kept within east Lancashire.

Seven specialist services at the Royal Blackburn and Burnley General hospitals are at risk, including the flagship neonatal intensive-care unit.

According to NHS England, there is a strong clinical case in some circumstances for centralising specialist treatments right across the NHS.

This would see senior doctors clustered at fewer hospitals, rather than a large number of sites.

But East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust has said it is crucial that we keep these services because they are integral to the health needs of our population.

The trust covers a population of more than 500,000, which is big enough to maintain the services safely and keep them going.

It says there is a strong case for them to be provided locally.

We must all work together to ensure that the services are not lost.

Moving them to other hospitals in the North West would cause problems for many people, both patients and their families.

NHS England must do the right thing and keep all these services in our area.