HAND'S OFF OUR HOSPITAL!

Not content with removing the A&E from Burnley General Hospital, Health managers have confirmed they now want to shut down the only Children's ward in Burnley.

All paediatric (childrens) in-patient beds from the Deerplay Ward, which has cared for generations of children from Burnley and Pendle, and which was refurbished only last July, are destined to be moved to the Royal Blackburn Hospital by the end of the year.

East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust have confirmed only a children's minor illness 'observation & assessment unit' (OAU) will be based at Burnley.

The closure means that anybody who has a child in Burnley or Pendle who has to be admitted to hospital for in-patient treatment will have to travel 15 miles to Blackburn to a hospital that's already overwhelmed.

WHAT YOU CAN DO - PROTEST MARCH

A protest march against the cuts to Burnley General Hospital has been organised, here's the details::

When: next Saturday 27th March at 1pm

Where: Queens Park, Burnley (near the fire station)

Assemble at the bottom of Queens Park before 1pm.
The Rally will then proceed to the bandstand in Burnley centre (outside McDonalds).