AN EAST Lancashire community hospital is to be upgraded to an urgent care centre, health bosses said.

The plans for Accrington Victoria Hospital were unveiled as health bosses revealed a £500,000 investment programme in improving the condition of the building over the next year.

Long-term, bosses said they wanted to transform the hospital, off Queen's Road, Accrington, into an urgent care centre.

This would mean that it would be able to handle all but 999-blue light emergency admissions.

Currently, the hospital's unit is for minor injuries only. More serious cases have to travel to the Royal Blackburn or Burnley General hospitals.

Work on the building this year will see new windows, maintenance of brickwork, new roofing, re-surfacing of roads and extensions to the renal unit, refurbishment of in-patient ward and creation of extra isolation facilities.

More than £17 million-worth of additional new community health investment has already been brought in to Hyndburn with Accrington's two new health centres and a new dental centre.

In addition, health bosses have pledged that a number of services will continue to be delivered from the Accy Vic hospital site, including Radiography, Outpatients, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Podiatry, In-Patient beds, Breast Screening and Renal Dialysis.

David Peers, associate director of estates for the primary care trust, said: "In terms of investment in the community hospital we are continuing to invest in the infrastructure, with expenditure on general building repairs such as new windows, maintenance of brickwork and new roofing along with improvements to lighting, flooring and heating systems."

"Further planned works include replacing the fire alarm system, telephone system and re-surfacing part of the site roadways. Ongoing investment to improve clinical accommodation includes the provision of small extensions to the Renal Unit and the creation of extra isolation facilities and a general refurbishment of the in-patient ward."