Leaflet:Layout 1 4/10/07 18:27 Page 1

Doesn’t all this mean extra travel –

what has been put in place?
Improving the clinical quality of our services does mean
that we can’t continue to provide all services on both NOV 07
main hospital sites and this does mean some extra
travelling between our hospital sites (a distance of
14 miles).
Since May of 2007 there has been a free bus running
daily between Burnley and Blackburn hospitals, Healthcare in
this service is free to patients, relatives and staff. We
are planning to extend the running hours of this service East Lancashire
and will continue to develop this service in response
to demand. is changing
We are also working closely with local authorities and e & Ad
dress
es, Surnam
bus companies to further extend bus services between Title, Fo
renam
the two sites. Important information Age
tal
Pharm
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• If you have a medical emergency - call 999 and D.o.B.
ask for the ambulance service.
• If you have an urgent but less serious injury or
illness you can attend one of two new Urgent Care amp ov
er age
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Centres on the Burnley and Blackburn Hospital sites. Please
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• For medical advice contact NHS Direct on 0845 4647 to t he
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or www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk. at th ency cas s
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0845 6099866 or www.eastlancs.nhs.uk gent
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Please note – the Putting Healthcare 1st Advice Line and the NHS Direct b ul a C a re b u r n
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It is vital that everyone will on b nd nu
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understands that, although some Upon request, information contained in this leaflet
by
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Hospi entre fo
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r

l ey Ge n
ial i st
e Royal
important changes are taking place will be made available in alternative languages • Bu
r n
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on 1st November, generally you and formats, including large print and audio. most
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do. Indeed the vast majority of day 2008
2007/
case, outpatient appointments and
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Putting Healthcare in East Lancashire
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Leaflet:Layout 1 4/10/07 18:27 Page 4
IMPORTANT
INFORMATION
NOV 07 FROM THE NHS
November 1st –
Putting Patient Safety First
We want to explain the changes that are taking place on
1st November 2007 to improve the quality of hospital
services in our area and how they affect you. These
changes follow public consultation through the Meeting
Patients’ Needs process.
All of these changes have been designed by doctors,
nurses and other medical professionals to make sure we
can deliver the highest quality care for patients, both now
and in the future.
So what is changing?
On November 1st Royal Blackburn Hospital becomes the
new centre for emergency care in East Lancashire. This
will help ensure all cases of severe injury/illness can be
seen quickly by senior doctors and specialists with access
to state-of-the-art diagnostic testing.
This means from 1st November, ‘blue light’
emergency ambulances will go to the new
Emergency Department at the Royal Blackburn
Hospital (instead of the Accident and Emergency
departments at both Burnley General and Royal
Blackburn Hospitals).
There will be two new 24-hour / 7-day-a-week Urgent
Care Centres for urgent but less serious injuries and
illnesses at both Burnley General and Royal
Blackburn Hospitals (on Burnley site in the location
of the current A&E - on the Blackburn site next to the
current A&E). We anticipate that the Urgent Care Centre
on our Burnley site will be able to deal with 9 out of 10 of
the patients that they see at present.
These changes are supported by three additional
ambulances to make sure patients who need to come to
Blackburn get there quickly and to make sure their
treatment begins as soon as the ambulance arrives. There
will also be a new helipad at the Emergency Department
on the Royal Blackburn Hospital site.
As part of this change, emergency and complex
surgery will also be based at Royal Blackburn
Hospital. This is surgery that requires the ‘back-up’ of
intensive care facilities. (We have made sure we have the
facilities available to transfer patients from the Burnley
area back to Burnley General Hospital for their post
operative recovery period as early as possible after
their surgery).
Key things to remember:
• The GP service is not changing. Use these services
as before both inside and outside of normal hours or
ring NHS Direct.
• If you need an emergency ambulance ring 999 as
before and they will assess you and if appropriate
begin your treatment and get you to the right
place fast.
• If your medical condition is urgent but you don’t need
an emergency ambulance go to your nearest Urgent
Care Centre – you will be assessed on arrival and if you
do need to be treated in the Emergency Department
you will be quickly transferred there.
An artists
impression of
part of the
£27million
investment in
the
healthcare at
al
Burnley Gener
Ho spita l
What about emergencies
involving children?
If you think your child is seriously ill call 999 and ask for
the ambulance service or bring them to the new
Emergency Department at the Royal Blackburn Hospital.
Children with less serious injuries or illnesses can be taken
to the new 24-hour/7-day-a-week Urgent Care Centres at
both the Burnley General Hospital and Royal Blackburn
Hospital sites.
When appropriate patients should contact their GP in the
first instance or ring NHS Direct.
Key thing to remember:
• From 1st November children with severe injuries or
illnesses will be brought by emergency ambulance to
the Royal Blackburn Hospital Emergency Department.
What about planned surgery?
Both the Burnley and Blackburn hospitals will continue to
carry out planned surgery (surgery you have discussed in
an outpatient clinic). Burnley General Hospital will
gradually become the main centre for planned
surgery. This will help ensure that planned surgery is not
cancelled because of more urgent emergency cases and
will allow us to develop a really high quality dedicated
centre for planned surgery at the Burnley site.
This change is backed by a £27million investment on the
Burnley General Hospital site which includes investment in
new operating theatres.
Key things to remember
• Some patients who may previously have had their
planned surgery in Blackburn may need to travel to
Burnley General Hospital in the future. If this is the case
you will be informed well in advance of your surgery so
that you can arrange to get there.
• Day case surgery will continue at both sites (Burnley
and Blackburn).