THE consultation on East Lancashire hospitals' future today suffered a fresh blow after a third of people who responded thought the options put forward were no good.

About 30 per cent of the 850 people who sent back a form delivered to 220,000 homes in the area did not back either of two options devised by bosses.

Critics have said hardly anyone responded about 0.2 per cent of adults in East Lancashire because they would not support either option.

Both "service models" propose closing blue-light emergency services at Burnley General Hospital for an "urgent care centre" while most pre-booked operations will move from Blackburn to Burnley.

The only difference between the two options is which town gets to keep women's and children's services such as births overseen by senior doctors.

John Amos from the Public Patient Involvement Forum for East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust said: "We have serious concerns about the way the whole thing has been carried out. We are currently preparing our response for the overview and scrutiny board meeting next Monday.

"We will be telling them we were unhappy with the way the consultation meetings were held. They were often in unsuitable locations and at unsuitable times which turned many people away from the consultations. They dissociated themselves from the subject, feeling their opinions were not being properly sought or required." Val Bertenshaw, who is leading the review for East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "There is a significant number that are saying they would support either service model if for example public transport was improved or they had an urgent care centre nearby or whatever.

"There is a substantial number that are not really suggesting an alternative and that services should stay as they are."

Bosses have insisted other alternatives have been tested but could not be supported on medical or financial grounds.

They said the changes have to go through to make better use of low staffing levels and save cash. About 65 per cent backed one of the two options while five per cent of responses were not about the consultation but their impression of the NHS.

Coun Tony Humphrys, chairman of Blackburn with Darwen Council's health scrutiny committee, said: "I think the main problem for people was that they were only given two options which felt like a limited choice. There were originally five but three were found to be non-viable."

For more information visit www.eastlancs.nhs.uk or by calling 01254 293855.