Debt forces patient wait

People needing hospital treatment in East Lancashire are being forced to wait because of efforts to cut a multi-million pound debt.

The East Lancashire NHS Trust - currently £3.5m in deficit - has been in debt since it was created in 2003.

A number of money saving plans were implemented at the end of the year, patients are still being affected.

Richard Gildert, acting chief executive of the trust, said the deficit is a "cause for concern".

In order to make savings of £600,000, Lancashire and Cumbria Strategic Health Authority agreed to relax the trust's target for reducing waiting patient numbers.

A meeting of the trust's board was due to take place on Wednesday to discuss the problems.

The trust was formed last April from the Blackburn Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Healthcare Trust and Burnley Healthcare NHS Trust.