Jack Straw backing East Lancashire hospital plans

4:40pm Tuesday 26th August 2008

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By Camilla Sutcliffe »

BLACKBURN MP Jack Straw has thrown his support behind ambitious plans for East Lancashire’s hospitals.

He met the trust’s new chief executive Marie Burnham for the first time yesterday, and toured the Royal Blackburn Hospital, meeting the unsung heroes who keep it, as well as the Burnley General, Pendle Community and Rossendale General hospitals, running smoothly.

He quizzed Miss Burnham on the administration of the trust, particularly after complaints of lost notes and cancelled operations, but said speaking to staff had shown him that those problems were now behind them.

And he vowed to back bids for the hospitals to gain university teaching status, as well as plans to become the first trust in the UK designated an international centre of excellence.

He said: “I have seen how the paediatrics department and intensive care work on the front line, and the excellent job they were doing, but I have also been to radiology, the pathology lab and the records department to see the ‘engine room’ side.

“I met members of staff who supply records to the emergency department and they had a real pride in their 100 per cent performance rating.”

After visiting the radiology department, he also promised to investigate problems which mean the radioactive material used for CT scans is not delivered from Preston until late in the morning, delaying the start of diagnostic tests until after 9.30am.

Miss Burnham said: “Having Jack’s support on all these things is really important to us as a trust. He has raised a number of areas in which he wants to see improvements, and made it very clear what he expects from us. We will fulfil all of it.

“I It was great for him to be able to meet the backroom staff, because they really are the backbone of this hospital.”