FURY erupted today after nurses across East Lancashire were told they were not going to receive their inflation-busting pay rise on time.

Hospital managers in Burnley and Blackburn confirmed they were still waiting for clearance from the Department of Health to pay the extra cash to thousands of nursing and medical staff.

The pay rise, which includes a huge 11 per cent increase for newly-qualified nurses, was announced in a blaze of publicity by Health Secretary Frank Dobson in February and was due to be be introduced in this month's wage packets.

But more than two months on, both the Burnley NHS Trust and the Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley NHS Trust have still not received an official letter from the Department of Health to authorise the pay rise.

Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans today blasted the Department of Health for the delay and pledged to write to Mr Dobson to ensure that health workers were given their pay rise as soon as possible.

And a spokeswoman for the Royal College of Nursing said: "We are concerned that nurses will not receive the extra money when they should have done." Graham Gornall, assistant director of finance for the Blackburn NHS Trust, said: "We cannot process the pay rise for nurses, doctors or midwives until we receive the advance letter from the Department of Health.

"We were told we should receive the letter this month, but our staff are paid on the 28th of each month and they will not now receive the extra cash in their April wage.

"If we receive the letter over the next few weeks the pay rise will be back dated in the May wage packets."

Burnley Health Trust finance director David Meakin also said the Government circular authorising payment had not been received.

He said: "Without that we cannot pay it.

"It is the same with all pay awards and our hands are tied."

Nigel Evans said: "Nurses will not be fooled by the spin doctoring of the Labour party if they do not receive their extra money in time."

A spokesman for the Department of Health said the letters had been posted out on Thursday, but both Blackburn and Burnley NHS Trusts had not received them by yesterday.

He said: "The reason for the delay was that after the Pay Review Body's recommendation there had to be a follow-up meeting with the unions where the offer was considered.

"It is not unusual for the authorisation letter to be received at this time of year.

"Nobody will lose out and if necessary wages will be back dated ."

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