DOZENS of operations have been cancelled or switched to other hospitals after foreign bodies' were found on a tray of surgical instruments.

The discovery late on Monday forced the closure of East Lancashire Hospitals' eight operating theatres at Blackburn Royal Infirmary.

It is thought that a water sterilisation unit in the hospital's Sterilisation and Decontamination Department, which provides clean equipment to both BRI and Queen's Park Hospital, had failed.

That meant the Blackburn-based department had to recall all sterilised equipment.

Bosses have confirmed that 70 operations have been effected so far at BRI but have not revealed whether it has also had an impact on Queen's Park Hospital.

However, it is thought the situation mainly affected BRI, after a statement from the hospital trust highlighted the fact that staff there had worked around the clock to resolve the problems.' They also thanked staff at Lancashire Ambulance NHS Trust, who have been involved in the transfer of patients from BRI to other hospitals in the area, including Burnley General Hospital, which has been unaffected.

Some operations have also been switched to private hospitals, but a trust spokesman said: "However as a result of the problems we have experienced a number of patients have had non-urgent surgery postponed.

"Arrangements will be made to recall these patients as soon as possible. Outpatient services are unaffected."

BRl's eight operating theatres are used by medics to treat dozens of patients every day, and at the moment BRI is home to the area's accident and emergency department.

They are now relying on sterilisation units at hospitals across the North West to take on extra work so they can restore services while repairs to their water unit take place.

The spokesman added: "We have also greatly appreciated the help of other local hospitals who are allowing us to make use of their HSDU facilities to sterilise and decontaminate our surgical instruments. In particular units at Chorley Hospital, Royal Bolton and Hope Hospital (Salford).

"We have also appreciated the support and close working of staff within the Lancashire Ambulance Service."

The Trust's medical director Rineke Schram said: "I would like to apologise on behalf of the Trust to those patients whose treatment has been affected but the safety of our patients is our number one priority."

John Amos, from the East Lancashire Hospitals Public Patient Involvement Forum, said: "It is a situation we will monitor and will be meeting the chief executive next week to discuss what is going on."