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Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital: A&E wait times hit 12 hours

ELHT Royal Blackburn HospitalELHT
East Lancashire Hospitals Trust runs the A&E department in Blackburn as well as other urgent care services

Wait times at an accident and emergency department are more than 12 hours, a hospital trust has warned.

There are currently long delays at the Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital's A&E department due to a "steep rise" in people attending.

East Lancashire Hospitals Trust (ELHT) said it was facing one of its busiest winters.

Patients are urged to use a GP, pharmacy or NHS 111 if their illness is not life or limb-threatening.

Sharon Gilligan, chief operating officer and deputy chief executive at ELHT, said: "We always see an increase in patients during winter due to seasonal illnesses, which have a significant impact on services, but over the last few weeks there has been a steep rise in people attending our emergency department.

"It means the department is very crowded and many patients are having to wait over 12 hours which is not what any of us want."

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