Temporary closure of Chorely and South Ribble A&E due to staff shortage
Lancashire Teaching Hospitals has announced that its A&E department at Chorley was closed temporarily on Monday as staff shortages posed an unacceptable risk to patient safety. In a statement, the trust said it needed at least 14 doctors to run the department safely but only employ eight; three doctors have now been secured with potential candidates being actively pursued for the remaining three posts.

The board, and all our staff, along with partner agencies, are absolutely committed to reinstating the emergency department at Chorley as soon as we have the sufficient staff to ensure we can provide a safe and sustainable service, and we are all working hard to make this happen.

We need at least 14 doctors to safely staff the departments across both hospitals, and currently have a gap of six.

Currently we have potentially secured three of the doctors we need, and there are further potential candidates we are actively pursuing.

Until we are in a position where we can reinstate the emergency department we are doing everything possible to make sure effective interim arrangements are in place so patients in both Chorley and Preston areas receive prompt and safe care - and those arrangements are currently working well.