East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust has completed the latest phase of work towards realising an ambitious vision of developing an ‘Emergency Care Village’.

The new extension, complete with extra bed bays and facilities for staff, is being built to provide a more streamlined service for patients.

The most recent element of the project to be completed is a two-story extension to the current Emergency Department at Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital.

This, alongside the repurposing of a former admin corridor has created 13 additional bays for treating people who present with ‘major’ illness or injury with the upper floor providing new facilities for staff.

Chief Operating Officer for the Trust, Sharon Gilligan, said: “Our ultimate goal is to ensure no one receives care in a corridor and this additional capacity will help us even further to provide safe, personal and effective care.

"It will also provide a much better experience for our patients.

“This work follows on from our new £10m Acute Medical Unit that opened in November and we are already seeing the benefits of this.

"Our estates and facilities team and contractors have worked incredibly hard alongside the emergency care team to coordinate this work and make it happen.

"I want to say a huge thank you to all involved as it really will make a big difference."

“This, coupled with people using our services appropriately will help everyone get the right treatment, in the right place at the right time.

"Please always think, 111 first and seek advice via telephone or online unless it is a life threatening emergency.”