A MASSIVE increase in emergency admissions is pushing East Lancashire hospitals to the limit.

Around 1,600 extra patients a month are turning up at the Royal Blackburn and Burnley General hospitals.

Health chiefs said they did not know the cause for the ‘unprecented’ level of demand, which last weekend forced them to cancel 16 operations to make way for emergency beds.

But Burnley’s council leader pointed to the closure last November of Burnley’s A&E department, with all East Lancashire 999 cases being sent to Blackburn.

Val Bertenshaw, direct-or of operations for East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “To ensure these emergency patients received the best care possible as quickly as possible we opened 14 more beds and brought staff over from Burnley General Hospital, hence the requirement to cancel the operations.

“However we understand that this is extremely distressing for the patients who had their procedures cancelled and we are making arrangements to ensure they receive a new date as soon as possible.”

Bosses are now considering how to manage the extra dem-and should it continue.

Triage units, which prioritise admissions so emergency patients can go straight to operating theatres, are one of the measures being considered. Bed capacity is also being reviewed.

Coun Roy Davies, the chairman of Blackburn with Darwen health scrutiny committee, said he was “staggered” that 1,600 extra urgent cases were being recorded — six per cent more than the hospital planned for.

He said: “I couldn’t believe it when I heard. I was expecting something like 100.

“We need to hear what they are going to do about it.

"Obviously it’s a shame for the patients who have had operations cancelled, but it’s an emergency.”

John Amos, who was chairman of the former East Lancashire Patient and Public Involvement Forum, said he was “very concerned” by the news.

He said: “It puts totally inappropriate pressure on staff.

“Cancelling operations has a deplorable effect on a patient.

“It’s inconvenient, bec-ause you make family arrangements, and it can leave the patient in pain.”

Burnley Council leader Gordon Birtwistle said the shortage was the result of hospital bosses’ decision to transfer all emergency admissions to Blackburn.

He said: “This is just the tip of the iceberg.

“We have been approached by people who have had operations cancelled five times.

“The hospital is swamped and it’s exactly what we said would happen.

“It’s total madness.”