BREAKING NEWS: Chorley's A&E department to reopen

Chorley's A&E department will be reopening - probably from from January '“ it has been confirmed.

The department, which closed in April due to staff shortages, will now reopen for 12 hours a day, most likely from January.

Lancashire Teaching Hospitals Trust had inititally said that its decision to close the unit would not be reviewed until April 2017.

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However a report from NHS Improvement, the health watchdog, has said that the unit could be reopened on a 12-hour basis with its current level of staffing.

Trust Chief Executive Karen Partington said: “The new provider taking over the urgent care centre from January gives us the opportunity to redeploy our staff and work in a different way so that we can safely reinstate the emergency department part time.

“We have just successfully appointed a middle grade doctor, and will be continuing to try to recruit more, as well as extra consultants and nurses to ensure the service is sustainable.

“Until we can make these further appointments, our staff have agreed to work extra hours to keep the service running and we thank them for their continued support and commitment.”

The closure of Chorley and South Ribble Hospital’s A&E has been the subject of fierce protests, and campaigners are planning a trip to London on Monday to demand that it is reopened full time.