BOSSES at a cash-strapped health trust have been told to take their own butties to meetings in a bid to save money.

The move to ditch hospitality is aimed at cutting £25,000 off East Lancashire Hospitals' £2million debt.

Senior staff and outside representatives at regular lunchtime meetings at Blackburn Infirmary and Burnley General are being advised of the move.

They will be given details of where to pick up snacks and sandwiches before they arrive.

At the first meeting to be affected by the hospitality freeze - a meeting of the East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust held at Queen's Park Hospital - the bosses behind the cuts proved as good as their word ... queueing to buy soft drinks from a vending machine.

The move comes as the East Lancashire Hospital NHS Trust looks to make £6.6million-worth of savings.

The deficit has built up through debts taken on when the old Blackburn and Burnley trusts merged, and from trying to meet targets on waiting lists.

Departmental bosses have been told to make cuts, with many departments predicting overspends of anything up to £1million each.

When the idea of cutting hospitality - a buffet-style selection of food - was first put forward, it met with resistance from some members of the board.

Chairman Christine Kirk, acting chief executive Richard Gildert and board members such as Pendle councillor Frank Clifford are all affected by the buttie ruling.

Initially the chairman said she felt that it was basic courtesy to offer some refreshment at meetings.

But she added: "I am happy to go along with members of the board.

Other catering ideas considered included a food trolley and a sandwich vending machine.

Bosses also considered re-arranging meetings which fell across the lunch break period - but were told that many consultants were treating patients at other times.

Richard Gildert, acting chief executive of the trust, said: "This action shows staff that everyone in the trust is affected."

The Patients' Forum, the board representative of the views of those who use hospital services, has supported the initiative.

The meeting was told they understood savings had to be made, adding that everything should be done to reduce the impact on services.

Hyndburn MP Greg Pope today backed the move.

He said: "Other public sector services in East Lancashire should look at what is being done here and consider doing the same themselves rather than cutting front-line services.