A PAGER system is being introduced in the outpatients department at the Royal Blackburn and Burnley General hospitals – so those coming in for appointments can keep up to speed with waiting times.

Buzzers are being issued to patients attending clinics at the two East Lancashire Hospital NHS Trust sites, if it is known medics are running late.

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Health chiefs say this will enable those waiting to nip out for a coffee and still get notifications about when they will be seen.

Jacqui Booth, hospital outpatient reception manager, said: “We are making major improvements to our outpatient clinics, but know that some people still have to wait longer than we would like for their appointment.

“Now patients will be able to leave the waiting area safe in the knowledge that we will page them as soon as we can.”

A total of 90 pagers are being issued.

One outpatient, Seth Hardaker, 64, of Darwen, said: “Obviously I wasn’t happy that my appointment was delayed but at least I didn’t have to stay in the waiting room and went for a walk and a coffee which made the wait more bearable.”

Depending on feedback from patients, the trust will look at providing the pagers in other outpatient clinics.

Ms Booth said: “Nobody likes to wait and the pagers offer patients a more relaxing, less stressful visit to hospital than waiting in a congested waiting area.

“The new pagers have reduced the number of waiting patients in busy departments, reduced congestion and improved the waiting experience.

The pagers have a range of up to 2km and use a frequency which does not interfere with other mobile devices.