HEALTH staff are being urged to put "potentially damaging" gossip to hospital bosses to "avoid the rumour mill going into overdrive."

Employees at East Lancashire's hospitals have been asked to email questions to the region's top health boss, Jo Cubbon, to have a rumour "busted" or confirmed.

Managers said it was essential staff were set straight during a period of "substantial change" at East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust.

The Trust is grappling with its biggest ever financial crisis and already staff face being told to do other jobs as a fifth of beds are axed.

Also a massive review which will axe some services at both hospitals is under way and next month Blackburn Royal Infirmary closes and moves its services to Queen's Park Hospital.

Answers will be returned to the sender while some will go in the Trust newsletter and periodically through a daily email sent to staff.

A memo sent to all staff said: "Like any big organisation rumours do the rounds ranging from the small insignificant rumour to rumours that are potentially damaging.

"We all have a personal responsibility to make sure we get our facts straight and to challenge and correct inaccurate rumours. To avoid the rumour mill going into overdrive during a time of substantial change for the organisation we will be running a regular rumour buster."

The first rumour round up emailed to staff featured three stories all of which were refuted.

Yet deputy chief executive Gary Graham said he could not guarantee every questions would be answered.

He said: "We will be able to tell people as much as possibly can. They will get a genuine, honest and transparent answer. We wouldn't confirm or deny thing we haven't made decisions on."

Caroline Collins, Lancashire spokeswoman for the Royal College of Nursing, said: "I think it is an excellent idea and would be interested to know how many people respond. It has been successful in varying degrees in other trusts.

"I think the trust will do its best to answer as honestly as it can."

Questions can be sent to chief.executive@elht.nhs.uk