HEALTH chiefs are drawing up plans to ensure services are primed and ready for action for what is expected to be a demanding winter period this year.

Local Winter Planning Groups have been set up within the Chorley and South Ribble area in order to oversee the preparations.

South Lancashire Health Authority say the plans will be in place to cover October 1 1999, through to March 31, 2000.

Due of the long Christmas and New Year holiday periods - with two weekends and four national Bank Holidays, as well as the large-scale national celebrations on New Year's Eve - health bosses expect that pressures on local healthcare services will be of an unprecedented scale.

A large amount of planning has already started by the Health Authority to ensure the smooth running of services.

The key areas that are being looked at include hospital discharge arrangements, integrated planning of emergency services, clear advice to the public about self-help and preparation for the period such as flu vaccinations and that staff and resources are available at short notice.

At a national conference attended by Local Winter Panning Groups earlier this year, the Secretary of State for Health, Frank Dobson, warned that preparations for the holiday period will be closely scrutinised.

Yet, Mr Dobson also conceded that it will be difficult to predict the full impact of the Millennium holiday period, in terms of demand on services and the impact of the date change to IT systems.

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