ALL non-emergency operations at Burnley General Hospital have been postponed following a flood of emergency flu admissions.

Both patients and staff have been struck down by the virus and Health Trust mangers are struggling to cope with demand for beds - with the flu epidemic sweeping the country hitting hardest in the North.

And as all surgical care beds at the hospital were turned over to medical admissions, Trust chief executive David Chew warned the situation would get worse before it gets better.

The new crisis has come since the Christmas/Millennium period when special measures meant 90 extra beds were available for emergencies.

The flu outbreak has now swallowed up all normal capacity, say h health chiefs.

Health watchdog Coun Frank Clifford, chairman of Burnley Community Health Council today described the surgery postponements as "an understandable and logical step".

Mr Chew said the move had been made in the best interests of all concerned.

Today 15 surgical beds were being used by emergency medical admission patients.

Mr Chew added: "Our responsibility is to all our patients and we do have to treat emergency cases first. Our hospitals and staff in the community have been working flat out over the past few weeks and they have coped magnificently. "However this latest flu outbreak has taken its toll, not just on our patients but on our staff as well."

He said the decision to postpone was taken with great reluctance and added: "I will continue to review the position on a regular basis but indications suggest that it is likely that it is going to get worse before it gets better."

"I can only apologise to all those who have been inconvenienced by this action and assure them that we are doing everything possible to get our services back to normal as soon as practicably possible."

The postponement of elective surgery "until further notice" will, say mangers, increase pressure on Burnley's waiting lists - already targeted for special action by the Government which has told to slash its waiting figures dramatically by the end of March.

Health Trust finance director David Meakin said he would be asking East Lancashire Health Authority for more cash to reduce waiting.

The surgical postponements come despite special measures introduced by the trust to avoid the present crisis.

Last month health bosses said they were set to "buy" beds in private nursing homes to head off a winter accommodation crisis in hospitals.

East Lancashire Health Authority linked with Burnley Health Trust to tender for nursing home places for patients who are medically fit for discharge from hospital - but have no adequate place to go to in the community.

The bid to prevent fit patients blocking beds because they had nobody to look after them when they were discharged from hospital was one of a number of Burnley NHS Trust's initiatives to cope with the expected extra demand on hospitals during New Year period.

Last year a flu outbreak over Christmas saw an almost doubling of admissions at Burnley General.

Seventy three medical patients had to be transferred to surgical beds, resulting in postponement of 60 operations.

Today health managers warned the position would be worse.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.