THE government's highest-ranking medical man visited East Lancashire organisations which provide grass roots health services.

Chief Medical Officer Sir Kenneth Calman called in at schemes in Blackburn and Burnley yesterday as part of a two-day tour of sites across Lancashire.

They included a food co-operative, drugs and sex education programmes, a coronary disease prevention scheme, a health and community project for Asian people and an initiative to reduce road accidents among children.

Sir Kenneth is the specialist who advises the government on all medical and public health issues.

Blackburn with Darwen Council chief executive Phil Watson and council leader Malcolm Doherty showed Sir Kenneth the Bangor Street Family, Nursery and Community Centre in Blackburn. The centre provides long-term community and health facilities for the Asian community including facilities for health and community activities.

Blackburn City Challenge-backed facility also includes a library, day centre for elderly people and a family centre which includes nursery facilities and a community health/GP medical centre.

Later in the day Sir Kenneth visited the Southwest Burnley Safety Initiative.

The scheme is a partnership between East Lancashire Health Authority, Lancashire County Council, Burnley Borough Council, the police and Burnley Health Care NHS Trust.

It includes traffic calming measures and a "Safer Routes to Schools" scheme which centres on Holy Trinity School, Burnley.

Sir Kenneth was also shown a food co-op, drug rehabilitation community house and sexual health education centre at Chorley.

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