"Disgusting "

Dear Sarah,

Thank you for taking the time to share your experience on NHS Website about your Grandma's recent visit to the Emergency Department at Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital.

I am extremely sorry to hear of your recent experience and have fed your comments back to the senior staff and the Head of Nursing- Emergency and Acute Pathway. Confirmation has been provided that in line with other Trusts, the Emergency Department, Urgent Treatment Centre and Minor Injuries Unit are all experiencing a huge influx of patients attending and have seen waiting times exceed the 4-hour target on a regular basis. There has also been delays in transferring patients to inpatient beds because of the acuity and their clinical need, which needs to be met within a hospital setting and this has impacted on waiting times and the number of patients waiting in the department.

We are currently striving to implement additional tools and services to resolve this situation and ensure we deliver safe, personal, and effective care to all our patients and reduce the distress and frustration caused due to long waiting times.

The Emergency Department meet with the Trust Executive Team every morning at 08:15 to look at the current capacity versus demand with actions required. There is a member of the Emergency and Acute Directorate Senior Management Team on duty 7 days a week to support patient experiences and medical staff.

If you would like to provide further information about your experience you can contact the Patient Experience team by email at patientexperience@elht.nhs.uk

Or if you prefer you can discuss further any concerns you may have about our services with our East Lancashire Hospitals Trust Customer Relations team on 01254 733700 or complaints@elht.nhs.uk who can advise you of your options in raising these concerns further.

Many thanks again for taking the time to provide your feedback.

Sarah Ridehalgh

Patient Experience Facilitator