MEDICS at Burnley General Hospital were given a double tonic today after scooping Government cash to improve services.

The Government confirmed that the hospital will receive a further £400,000 to upgrade its accident and emergency department.

And it has also secured cash to provide a pioneering "tele medicine" scheme to link up with specialists at Blackburn Infirmary.

The extra cash for casualty will be used to improve the reception, waiting and treatment areas for patients and also to provide a specific waiting area for children.

It is the second time in six months that the hospital has scooped Government money to improve the casualty unit. Last year, £445,000 was spent on creating new resuscitation bays.

The telemedicine scheme will connect the hospital with Blackburn Infirmary for facial injury cases. Consultants in Burnley will be able to look at a TV monitor showing details of patients being treated in Blackburn at the Department of Oral and Maxillo Facial Unit.

The link-up, which will help to speed up the treatment and diagnosis of patients, will also take place at hospitals in Bolton and Bury.

A spokeswoman for East Lancashire Health Authority said the scheme would reduce the need to transfer patients between hospitals and would also cut the wait for specialist treatment.

She said: "We are delighted that such a cutting edge scheme has been approved and will soon be available locally."

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