HEALTH watchdogs are holding a series of "open house" meetings to give the public a say in a hospital closure plan.

Burnley Health Trust managers intend to close the day hospital for the elderly at Burnley General Hospital and concentrate the service at Rossendale and Pendle community hospitals.

But after the Community Health Council patient watchdog group complained, trust chiefs promised full consultation with interested bodies including the CHC, social services and Age Concern.

They say the two-month period of review means their plans to implement the new day care set-up from October 1 will be suspended "until further notice."

Now the CHC has moved to test out public responses to the proposed changes, part of a major review of hospital medical services now being finalised.

The group has organised a series of five coffee mornings at which people can go along and say what they think about the closure proposal.

CHC chairman Frank Clifford said: "We will be reaching out into the community with the coffee mornings and also be inviting people who cannot attend to write to us via freepost to make their feelings known.

"We feel it is vital that any changes to hospital service plans are fully thought through, taking into account all the views of users, carers and anyone else affected."

The coffee mornings have been arranged from 10.30am as follows:

Monday August 11 - Daneshouse Community Centre; Tuesday August 19 - Gannow Community Centre, Adamson Street; Wednesday August 20 - Stoops and Hargher Clough community centre, Venice Street; Thursday August 21 - Vincent Farrell Centre, Temple Street; Friday August 22 - Padiham town hall.

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