ACCIDENT and emergency services at Burnley General Hospital will see a near £500,000 programme of improvements this year.

Health trust chiefs have unveiled plans for major modernisation - providing separate children and adult waiting areas, new high-tech reception facilities and a new frontage.

There will be a five cubicle examination and treatment area for children and a new ambulance entrance which will allow stretcher cases into the department away from waiting area.

A first floor extension will remove non-clinical accommodation, such as offices and staff room, from the area.

And a Telemedicine examination room will be installed to provide an audio-video link with specialists in Blackburn, Bury and Bolton. The project goes to tender in July, with a September start and completion in March 2000.

Trust managers say the construction work will not detract from the service which will operate at 100 per cent capacity during the improvements.

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