A CASUALTY unit is poised to treble its full-time consultant staff - just a year after fears were expressed over its future.

Hospital chiefs have recruited two new consultants to work in the accident and emergency department at Blackburn Royal Infirmary.

The double appointment bucks a national trend which has seen a chronic shortage of casualty specialists in the UK. The recruitment of Miss Julie Nancarrow and Mr Habib Dardouri comes 12 months after health trust chiefs expressed concern that the staff-strapped department could function properly seven days a week.

Mr Dardouri is expected to start in June and Miss Nancarrow in October. They will work under clinical director Mr Tom George. A fourth consultant, a locum, is also working in the unit until next March.

Ian Woolley, chairman of Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley NHS Trust, said: "After wondering how we were going to maintain the service adequately, here we are with four consultants.

"If the trust is looking to the future we need a good accident and emergency service.

"The department was the only one in the country to win the Government Charter Mark and it has the best sickness absence record in the trust. It is clear there is some tremendous work going on there already.

"But it is quite remarkable we are making two high calibre appointments when there is a tremendous shortage nationally. It is good news for the trust and for patients."

Miss Nancarrow currently works at a Manchester hospital and has a special interest in paediatrics.

Mr Dardouri works in south London.

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