HEALTH chiefs have defended the decision to move Burnley’s children’s ward to Blackburn.

Steve Spoerry, chief executive at the primary care trust, has given his backing to East Lancashire Hospitals’ plans to move the 15-bed Deerplay children’s ward to a new increased 51-bed unit at the Royal Blackburn Hospital.

Burnley MP Gordon Birt-wistle and fellow Liberal Democrat Coun Darren Reynolds have urged the Health Secretary Andrew Lansley to halt the closure, which will mean sick children who need to stay in hospital overnight will have to travel to the Royal Blackburn Hospital.

They believe it does not meet Mr Lansley’s four new criteria governing such changes, claiming it will not focus on improving patient outcomes, consider patient choice, have support from local GP commissioners or councillors, or be based on sound clinical evidence.

But Mr Spoerry said NHS East Lancashire had already supplied the strategic health authority, NHS North West, with information explaining why the proposed changes complied with the four tests.

He said this took place under the ‘Meeting Patient Needs’ reconfiguration which saw Burnley’s A&E closed and a new women and children’s centre being set up at the hospital.

He said: “As the accountable officer for NHS East Lancashire I am responsible for the commissioning of safe services and thus have to consider best clinical practice, and I believe that the PCT is discharging its duty to the children and parents of East Lancashire.”