AN East Lancashire MP is urging GPs to tell him privately what they really think about a controversial shake-up of hospital services.

Pendle MP Gordon Prentice said he wanted doctors and other health professionals in the borough to write to him in confidence with their views.

He is taking the step so that any health workers who are not as supportive of the plans as trust bosses can give their opinion.

Under plans put forward by health chiefs, Burnley's A&E department is set to lose blue-light ambulance services, but take on more pre-booked operations from the rest of East Lancashire.

Yet it will lose overnight care for children and could lose consultant-led maternity units and intensive care for sick babies.

A public consultation on the plans closes on July 10.

Mr Prentice said: "The type and location of Accident and Emergency departments is the key local concern.

"We are well into the public consultation period and these proposals must not be allowed to go through on the nod.

"I want to hear from GPs in order to get a better picture of local concerns.

"Equally, if other health professionals want to contact me, where necessary in confidence, I would be pleased to hear from them."

Write to Mr Prentice at House of Commons, London, SW1A 1AA.