Gordon Birtwistle & Burnley Liberal Democrats

Local Campaigner Gordon Birtwistle has hit out at plans to close Burnley hospital children’s ward and transfer most services transferred to Blackburn.

Inpatient beds will be moved to Blackburn by the end of the year.  Whilst children with minor illnesses will still be treated in Burnley, anyone requiring an overnight stay will have to go to Blackburn.

Gordon said: “What we will have is a new maternity facility, but no children’s ward or paediatricians. If that is the case then the lunatics really are running the asylum.

“This is totally unacceptable. We will fight tooth and nail to prevent this happening. It’s a death by a thousand cuts and this is the latest cut in the death throes of Burnley General Hospital.

“Parents will be facing a round trip of over 20 miles to visit their sick children, and those without a car will have to struggle with public transport.

“The people who have dreamed this up should resign and have their places taken by people who understand what is needed in Burnley.”

Local health bosses have been ordered by the Government to make £50 million worth of cuts over the next three years, which they have described as the most severe they have experienced.

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