HOSPITAL ward changes under the first phase of a controversial shake-up have been a success, bosses said.

Since November 1, dozens of services have moved between Burnley General Hospital and the Royal Blackburn Hospital, with the first phase of changes almost complete.

The most controversial change, which meant all emergency ambulances would go to Blackburn, with Burnley only taking minor cases in its Urgent Care Centre, at the start of the process.

Since then, more wards have moved under the long-term plan to make Blackburn the centre for emergency treatment, and Burnley the main hospital for elective surgery.

The second phase, which will include transferring all complicated births to Burnley, will take place next year.

Since November 1: The children's medical unit has been completed and is ready to receive 40 standard in-patients, along with three high-dependency patients.

Two medical wards have been moved from Burnley to Blackburn, along with a further 45 new beds made available at the Royal Blackburn Hospital, monitoring and treating people with long-term illnesses.

Wards 10 and 11 at Burnley General Hospital have been transformed into an extended recovery ward and a planed medical admissions unit respectively.

All coronary care and intensive care beds have been moved from Burnley to Blackburn, with a high-dependency unit remaining at Burnley.

Four more high-dependency beds have been added to Blackburn, with 10 more critical-care (less serious than intensive care) beds opened at Burnley.

One unplanned surgery ward at Burnley General has closed, with 14 new surgical beds opened at Blackburn, as well as 16 more beds for vascular surgery.

At Burnley General Hospital, wards 21 and 27 will move to wards 23 and 24 as soon as refurbishment work is complete, to make a new planned surgery centre.

Val Bertenshaw, director of operations for East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "Phase 1 of the Meeting Patients' Needs programme is all but completed and during this period of transition, things continue to go well.

"A huge amount of work has gone into these ward moves and changes which could not have been achieved without the dedication our staff. We owe them all a debt of gratitude for their enthusiasm and determination in putting patients' care first during this challenging time."

But Gordon Birtwistle, Burnley Council leader and campaigner against the moves, said the moves would mean worse services for Burnley.

He said: "Not only have they taken away our A & E, they have also taken away unplanned surgery and a whole host of other things. "This is going to continue to have a huge impact on the people of Burnley.

"We could have had a world-class hospital there, but instead they have cut it down to nothing."