THE latest phase of an £83 million scheme to create a single site general hospital in Blackburn has been completed.

Bosses at Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Health Care NHS Trust received the keys to the new development at Queen's Park Hospital, which brings together all medical and elderly rehabilitation wards.

Two wards for general medicine with 45 beds, two wards for elderly rehabilitation patients - 40 beds - and a rehabilitation department including a hydrotherapy pool have been provided under the £7.25 million phase.

Extra X-ray facilities were also included in the scheme, and these opened in July last year.

The new development will allow Park Lee Hospital to close, along with the E block at Queen's Park Hospital.

Eventually services at Blackburn Royal Infirmary will be transferred to the new single-site hospital, with the Infirmary expected to close in 2006. The East Lancashire Hospice and the Woodlea House Mental Health Rehabilitation Unit, which are situated on the Park Lee site, will remain open.

The Arts for Health Department at Manchester Metropolitan University have been involved in creating artwork for the new wards and departments, which will help provide a welcoming atmosphere for patients.

Trust board chairman Ian Woolley, said: "I am delighted to receive the keys to this excellent new development which will further enhance the services we provide to our medical and rehabilitation patients.

"This is an important step towards achieving the goal of a single site district general hospital."

Phase five of the project, which will see a new mental health unit built, is scheduled to be completed in the year 2000.

The £40 million transfer of services from the infirmary will form the final phase of the development in 2006.

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