HARD-UP hospital chiefs have told staff not to use desktop fans in offices and wards - due to spiralling energy costs.

Bosses of the East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust said the move was crucial to save cash - but critics said it was "penny pinching" and would make wards "intolerably hot".

Staff at the Royal Blackburn and Burnley General hospitals have been told not to turn fans on unless "absolutely necessary".

The latest cash-saving move came as part of a raft of energy saving measures given to staff to claw back on multi-million pound bills.

Last year the trust took out lightbulbs, axed hot lunches for patients and told staff to empty their bins to save cash.

Royal Blackburn Hospital, which opened in July, was said to be "boiling" in the summer as air conditioning was only used in some areas.

Last summer managers gave staff fans after record high temperatures.

But they have now been told not to turn them on to make a "small" saving.

A list of "top energy saving tips" given to staff states that "energy costs are ever increasing and the trust energy bill was over £5 million in 2005/06".

As well as urging patients to turn off lights where possible and close doors the list states: "DO NOT run desk top fans except when absolutely necessary".

Coun Tony Humphrys, chairman of Blackburn with Darwen Council's health and social care overview and scrutiny committee, said: "During the summer it gets very hot in the hospital.

"With staff constantly on the move, fans are needed to keep cool.

"To a certain extent it is penny pinching. It is not going to save all that much money.

"If they are looking for savings they should be looking in other directions."

One Blackburn nurse said: "It is ridiculous and will only make things worse. In the summer it was dreadful. The place was boiling."

She said the fans were placed by patients on request but it was busy staff who needed them the most.

A trust spokesman defended the latest move. He said: "We have a small number of fans to cool patient and staff areas during hot summer months.

"Staff have been asked only to use these fans when hot weather conditions make their use necessary.

"This is one of many small measures which taken together can have a significant impact on our energy costs."

He said the trust had appointed an energy manager to bring spending down.

The post's salary is paid from savings found.

The trust was backed by Unison's Peter Dales who said: "The trust is being responsible for energy use.

"If necessary, staff will have to use the fans."