AMERICAN-style hospital care could be on the way in East Lancashire, a doctor had warned. Dr Francis Apaloo made the astonishing claim that Queen's Park Hospital and Blackburn Infirmary would provide care for people covered by medical insurance and Accrington Victoria would be for the "down-and-outs" if the Government's proposed NHS changes went through.

His bleak warning came during a special meeting of the Blackburn Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Health Authority on the government's White Paper "Caring for Patients".

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