THE Royal Blackburn and Burnley General hospitals have boosted the number of doctors on their wards by 25 since being placed in special measures, although health bosses are concerned about the high numbers being employed through agencies.

In April last year, East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust (ELHT) employed 502 doctors, but this has since risen to 527 – three more than the expected number.

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This total includes a vast array of medics, including junior doctors, registrars and experienced consultants.

The trust, which also runs community hospitals in Accrington, Pendle and Clitheroe, was placed in special measures in the summer of 2013, with doctor and nursing shortages flagged up as a key concern.

But the regime was lifted last year after inspectors found that “significant improvements” had been made.

As previously reported, the total number of qualified nurses employed by ELHT has also increased, by 157 since April 2013 to the current total of 2,210, which is the highest number on record.

David Smithson, head of human resources, said: “The trust continues to be proactive in recruiting both doctors and nurses and our current recruitment campaign is proving incredibly successful in attracting surgical and medical talent to East Lancashire.”

“In simple terms, since 2013, the number of doctors working at East Lancashire Hospital NHS Trust has increased from 502 in April last year up to today’s total of 527 doctors.

“This means an extra 25 full-time doctors now provide safe, personal and effective treatment and care to the people of East Lancashire compared to 18 months ago.”

Concerns remain in some areas, however, as the trust is still reliant on expensive agency staff in some areas, such as the emergency department.

In the six months to November, nearly £14 million had been spent on temporary staff, compared to only £11 million the previous year, with about half of this spent on medical and dental temps.

Dr Ian Stanley, the trust’s medical director, said: “A large element of this relates to the fact that we are having to recruit doctors to these posts via agencies and this incurs a premium charge. “There is also the issue that we have had to open additional wards which has meant that we have had to recruit extra consultants (again via agencies).”

He said the number of trainee medical staff across the NHS has been reduced, so the trust is working with UCLan to look at alternative training programmes. There is also a national shortage of consultants in emergency medicine.

For more information about the trust’s recruitment campaign, see: www.CareToMakeADifference.nhs.uk