Darwen Healthlink

25/08/2026

Industrial Action - Blood Sciences Update

Blood Sciences Industrial Action update from the Lancashire and South Cumbria Pathology Service, Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust.

Due to strike action within the Blood Sciences Department at both Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital and Burnley General Teaching Hospital, East Lancashire based GP Practices are currently able to offer urgent blood tests and a limited number of routine blood tests.

Urgent blood samples are still being sent through to the laboratory for testing, such as those in relation to cancer or other clinically urgent conditions.

We would like to apologise for the inconvenience this may cause to our local community and are in discussions with the Lancashire and South Cumbria Pathology Service to ensure we receive an increase to our capacity as soon as possible.

A number of frequently asked questions are available on the Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board website here:

Due to strike action within the Blood Sciences Department at both Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital and Burnley General Teaching Hospital, East Lancashire based GP Practices are currently only able to

14/08/2026

IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING AUGUST BANK HOLIDAY MONDAY

24/07/2026

Update for patients on East Lancashire Industrial Action in Blood Sciences

Dear patient
Due to strike action within the Blood Sciences Department at both Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital and
Burnley General Teaching Hospital, East Lancashire based GP Practices can only offer a limited number
of routine blood tests.
This action primarily affects patients within the East Lancashire footprint, including areas such as Pendle,
Hyndburn, Blackburn with Darwen, Burnley, Rossendale and parts of Ribble Valley.
Bloods considered urgent by clinicians are still being carried out and sent through to the laboratory for testing,
such as those in relation to cancer or other clinically urgent conditions.
We would like to apologise for the inconvenience this may cause to our local community.
The Lancashire and South Cumbria Pathology Service are actively exploring opportunities to support with the
processing of patient bloods and will look to increase capacity as soon as it is safe to do so.
A number of frequently asked questions are available on the Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care
Board website here: https://lscprovidercollaborative.nhs.uk/blood-sciences-strikes
Thank you
Lancashire and South Cumbria Pathology Service

23/07/2026

17/06/2026

IMPORTANT NOTICE - Local laboratories strike action update:

Due to strike action at our local laboratories in Blackburn and Burnley, we only have a limited number of routine blood tests available at this time.

The Lancashire and South Cumbria Pathology Service are working hard to increase our capacity as soon as it is safe to do so and more information, including frequently asked questions, is available here: https://lscprovidercollaborative.nhs.uk/blood-sciences-strikes

12/06/2026

IMPORTANT NOTICE – HOSPITAL INDUSTRIAL ACTION IMPACTING BLOOD TESTING SERVICES

‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️

Dear Patients

We have just been notified that industrial action will be taking place between the 15th June to the 10th July within the Blood Sciences departments at both Royal Blackburn Hospital and Burnley General Teaching Hospital.

What does this mean for you?

During this period, the GP Practice will be restricted to sending urgent blood tests only for processing. This means that any routine blood test appointments may need to be cancelled and rebooked for a later date.

We appreciate that this will cause disruption to the normal services provided by the GP Practice, particularly in relation to blood tests. Please be assured that we are monitoring the situation daily and are doing everything we can to keep disruption to a minimum.

We will begin contacting patients with routine blood test appointments booked from Monday onwards if their appointment needs to be cancelled or rearranged.

Unfortunately, this situation is outside of the Practice’s control and is linked to hospital laboratory services. We thank you for your patience, understanding and cooperation during this time.

Darwen Healthlink

11/06/2026

We are happy to confirm that the Breast Screening Mobile Unit will once again be visiting Darwen from 26 June 2026 to 11 August 2026.

The unit will be located on the Health Centre car park, to the left of the building.

The NHS Breast Screening service is available to all eligible women aged 50 up to their 71st birthday. If you are eligible, you will receive an invitation letter with your appointment details. Screening is usually offered every 3 years.

If you are unable to attend your appointment, please contact the Breast Screening Office:
• 📞 Telephone: 01282 805301
• 📧 Email: [email protected]

For more information about breast screening and the process, please see the links below:

https://elht.nhs.uk/services/breast-imaging-screening-service

https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/breast-cancer/getting-diagnosed/screening-breast

Provide Breast Imaging for both the National Breast Screening Programme and the Symptomatic Breast Service

30/04/2026

Please Note: Upcoming May Bank Holiday Closure Information

01/04/2026

Important Notice

🌼📢 Easter Bank Holiday Closure Notice 🐣

Our GP practice will be closed on:
✅ Good Friday 3rd April
✅ Easter Monday 6th April
We will reopen as normal on Tuesday 7th April.

If you require a GP during this time, urgent appointments will be available with our Local Primary Care Federation by contacting Telephone 01254 965152 between 09:30am until 1:30pm.

If you need urgent medical advice during this time, please contact NHS 111 📞🩺

In emergencies, always call 999.

Wishing all our patients a safe and happy Easter weekend! 🌷🐰💛

24/03/2026

Meningococcal (MenB) vaccination – information for students.

NHS England has asked GP practices to provide the MenB vaccine to a small number of students linked to the meningococcal outbreak in Canterbury, Kent, if they have returned home.

Whilst we understand this may be a worrying time, it is clear that is it going to be unlikely for many of our local residents to need vaccination under the current criteria that has been set for GP practices nationally.

ONLY if you have been advised that you are eligible and are currently living locally, please contact reception and inform them that your request relates to the MenB vaccination that is linked to the Canterbury outbreak.

If you have been advised that you are eligible, it is likely you will have been contacted by your university, school, or public health officials because you:

live in specific halls of residence in Canterbury

attended certain venues in Canterbury between 5–16 March, or
have been identified as a close contact of a confirmed case

If you have not been contacted directly, you DO NOT need to contact the practice about vaccination.

Thank you

Darwen Healthlink