Stacey Stevenson will be eight in April. Born prematurely - weighing just 1lb 3oz - she has complex health needs and has been in and out of hospital for most of her life. Familiarity with the local hospital hasn't made the frequent trips there any less painful for Stacey or her parents.
But for the last couple of years, the Stevensons have benefited from the children's observation and admission unit, which was established at Burnley General Hospital to help to smooth the admissions process.
Now all children referred to the hospital are sent to the unit, a short-stay facility that aims to offer a more flexible approach to managing acute paediatric referrals. Seven beds are available, and the children given a full medical assessment by experienced practitioners who determine whether they should be discharged, retained for observation or admitted to the children's ward. Those children like Stacey who have chronic conditions are able to access the service direct, without having to be referred by their GP or via the accident and emergency department.
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