A MAJOR overhaul has been ordered for the pathology labs at the Royal Blackburn Hospital after air pressure problems caused a series of rips in its germ-resistant walls.

Millions of blood and tissue samples are handled each year by the clinical laboratory medicine department at the Haslingden Road site, whose labs there must remain free of contamination for their vital work.

East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust board members have been told the vinyl walls there had "ripped repeatedly and has been repaired on multiple occasions, and is likely to be continue being breached until fully refurbished".

Now the hospital trust’s private finance initiative (PFI) partner, Consort, has authorised repairs, which could take up to 50 weeks to complete.

Jonathan Wood, the trust's deputy chief executive, said: "We need to refurbish the walls of our pathology laboratories at the Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital and have appointed a contractor who will commence work shortly to fix the problem.

"To ensure the continued smooth operation of our laboratory facilities, additional mobile equipment will be brought on site so activity can continue uninterrupted and there will be no impact on patient care."

Management raised the issue with the PFI company as early as March, according to trust board papers. Specialist contractors have been appointed for the project, which must be approved by the Health and Safety Executive.

The future of the pathology labs at Blackburn has been brought into question twice over the past few years.

In 2014 there were fears staff would have to relocate to the Royal Oldham Hospital, as part of a national review.

Last year NHS Improvement wanted Lancashire's main pathology services to be provided at Preston, to help save £200million, by 2021, across the UK.