ANOTHER big cash bailout has been promised to East Lancashire’s hospitals, but health chiefs said it was now “not possible” for them to hit their A and E targets.

More patients and blocked wards have left 91 per cent of emergency patients being treated in four hours in October by the East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust. The target is 98 per cent.

Measures to take off the pressure have included freeing up emergency beds by moving a gynaecology surgical ward to Burnley and opening a temporary theatre there, but spending on plans to improve patient flow has left a £2million black hole in the trust’s finances.

Directors at NHS East Lancashire, the lead primary care trust funding the hospitals, agreed to give another lump sum at their meeting on Thursday, but amounts have not been finalised.

PCT director of commissioning Cath Galaska said it was “practically impossible” for the hospitals to meet their 98 per cent year-average target.

She said: “One thing the hospital really needs to do is increase theatre capacity, and they need the one-off support from us to do that.

“The flow through the hospital is not as smooth as it could be, and this action will make a big difference. The consequence is the financial pressure.”

The PCT and hospital trust are now discussing plans for so-called “hot clinics”, which would allow these patients to be seen at hospital within 24 hours, but would bypass A and E.

Doctors have now been given a target of 10 assessments in every four hours in the emergency department and urgent care centres, while patients should no longer be in the medical assess-ment unit, the area between the emergency department and the wards, for more than six hours.

A new surgical triage unit – for emergency patients needing surgery – will open in December.

Hospitals trust chief executive Marie Burnham said: “Levels of demand have contributed to the difficulties but there is also evidence to suggest we do need to make some changes.”