0MANAGERS are confident they will meet the Government deadline to prevent the "Millennium Meltdown" of hospital equipment in Blackburn.

Information technology experts have until September 30 to complete alterations to computers and other electronic equipment which will try to prevent hospitals plunging into chaos.

Bosses at the Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley NHS Trust have identified about £281,000 worth of alterations they will have to make. The trust has an allocated budget of £510,000.

In his latest report on the Year 2000 issue, Rob Bellingham, systems manager, said the first two major computer system upgrades, in the finance and pathology departments, had been completed successfully.

He said: "The next four months will see a succession of further system upgrades and the trust is currently on schedule to meet the NHS Executive deadline of September 30 for completion of the compliance programme."

Work to be finished includes £21,000 being spent to alter the telephone switchboard, £23,000 on the pharmacy computer system and £72,500 on the radiology department.

Mr Bellingham said personnel matters were being considered on a Lancashire-wide basis in a bid to ensure consistency and equity across the area.

Talks over what staff will be paid during the Millennium period will take place later this month between trust managers and the staff's Joint Consultative Committee.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.