What we do

We provide comprehensive care to patients with blood vessel disorders (diseases of the arteries, veins and lymphatics) in East Lancashire and beyond. Vascular services are for people with disorders of the arteries and veins. These include narrowing or widening of arteries, blocked vessels and varicose veins, but not diseases of the heart. These disorders can reduce the amount of blood reaching the limbs or brain, or cause sudden blood loss if an over-stretched artery bursts. Although all of these diseases used to be treated by surgery only, more recently, specialists have been able to treat many vascular disorders by reaching the site of the problem via the inside of the blood vessels. This is known as endovascular surgery, and is a much less invasive approach. Here at ELHT making these advanced techniques readily available to all patients is one of the goals of our service.

All inpatient care (treatment requiring overnight stay in hospital) takes place at the Royal Blackburn Teaching Hospital, this is supported by a Cardiac Catheter Lab and Interventional Radiology Suite located in the theatre complex. There is an extensive vascular day case service at Burnley General Teaching Hospital. A comprehensive outpatient service is available at both sites with a dedicated one stop vascular laboratory at Royal Blackburn Hospital. The service is delivered by four consultants, all of whom have elective theatre sessions at both sites.

We operate a number of outpatient peripheral and community vascular clinics within the local areas of Accrington, Clitheroe, Rossendale and Pendle. We are very pleased to have extended our services and now offer peripheral clinics at , Colne Health Centre and Longridge Community Hospital. The new vascular clinics save patients having to travel to the main sites at Blackburn and Burnley. 

  • Royal Blackburn Hospital
  • Burnley General  Hospital
  • Accrington Victoria Community Hospital
  • Clitheroe Community Hospital
  • Rossendale Primary Health Centre
  • Pendle Community Hospital
  • Colne Health Centre
  • Longridge Community Hospital
  • Garstang - Health Centre 

For patients who require more extensive imaging, for example CT, MRI etc they will need to travel to the main Hospital sites, but these patients are be minimal or are patients requiring surgery. If vascular surgery is required this is performed at either Royal Blackburn or Burnley General Teaching Hospitals, depending on the type of surgery required, but any following care will be at the local clinic site, reducing visits and travel to the main site to a minimum.

We have a one stop vascular laboratory dedicated to the diagnosis of venous and arterial disease at Royal Blackburn Hospital; this is managed by our vascular specialist nurses and technicians. The lab provides a comprehensive array of services to patients requiring vascular studies, including:

  • Abdominal vascular studies
  • Carotid studies
  • Peripheral arterial scanning
  • Peripheral venous scanning
  • Transcranial imaging
  • Vein mapping
  • Arterial assessment
  • Complex leg ulcer management