BLACKBURN Royal Infirmary will become a specialist Ear, Nose and Throat Inpatient centre from next week. And on Monday, as part of a local health authority shake-up, patients who have to stay overnight for eye surgery will have to travel to Burnley.

Health chiefs from Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Health care NHS Trust and Burnley Health Care NHS Trust promise that the integration will improve services.

East Lancashire Health Authority got the go-ahead in September last year from the Secretary of State for Health to make the changes. And it has pumped £53,000 into getting the ENT centre up and running.

However, outpatient clinics and day surgeries for both specialities will still be available in Blackburn and Burnley.

Paul Browning, business manager of Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Health Care NHS said: "These changes will improve the service we offer dramatically. We already have a superb ENT department and patients in Burnley and Blackburn will benefit."

Mr Browning said that although inpatients will now have to travel to Burnley for ophthalmology services, those making the trip will be minimal.

He said: "Thanks to modern technology, 80 per cent of our eye patients are day care so only a very few will have to travel to Burnley."

However all patients who may have to travel will be informed beforehand and an explanation of how to get to hospital will be provided.

The changes is hoped to attract high quality junior doctors who want to work in larger departments with more consultants offering experience and expertise. It will also assist in the reduction of junior doctors hours.

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