The Robotic Prostatectomy service has subsequently proven to be both popular and effective for patients of East Lancashire and across the Northwest.

As is common in these situations, the decision was deeply unpopular with the public of the Burnley and Pendle districts, who were most affected by the change.

[10] In December 2011, Burnley MP Gordon Birtwistle claimed a partial victory, with news of a new £12m emergency unit.

This meant the moving of many departments, and much publicity was made about the moving of the Accident & Emergency department, so to avoid public confusion of the exact time when the A&E at BRI shut, and the ED at the newly merged Royal Blackburn Hospital site opened.

In Burnley, a smaller scheme known as Phase 5 was underway, intended to provide improved care of the elderly, and dermatology facilities.

The trust continues to make major investments on the Burnley site, with £32 million development of the Lancashire Women & Newborn Centre and £0.3M fitting ventilation systems in two operating theatres, to undertake additional orthopaedic surgery.

[18] In October 2013, as a result of the Keogh Review the Trust was put into the highest risk category by the Care Quality Commission.

Concerns centred on the Trust's policy of opening extra beds, or leaving patients on chairs and trolleys, to deal with surges in demand.

[22] Of all the providers of specialised services in England, the trust was least compliant with the quality standards set for them by leading clinicians in October 2014.

The Postgraduate Medical & Dental Education website Archived 2 May 2014 at the Wayback Machine has further information on Foundation and Specialty Training in East Lancashire.