Ilex ViewMedical Practice

25/08/2026

Due to ongoing 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. The stirke is currently in place until the 2nd of October, however this may be extended.

This action primarily affects patients within the East Lancashire footprint, including Rossendale.

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.

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

We would like to apologise for the inconvenience this may cause to our local community, however please note this is completely outside of the practices control.

If you are due your annual review blood tests, please do not contact us. As soon as we are able to resume these blood tests, we will contact you.

24/08/2026

03/08/2026

BLOOD TESTING IN EAST LANCASHIRE

We have been informed that the laboratory staff have made the decision to enter a 3rd phase of strike action.

This will consist of a further 20 days of action over four consecutive weeks and is scheduled to run until 4 September 2026, continuing immediately from the end of phase 2, which finishes this coming Friday.

This will mean the very earliest we can resume normal service will be the 7th September, however this may change. We understand how troubling this may be for some patients awaiting testing, but we have been given very strict parameters in which testing can be completed. When normal service can resume, we will start to invite patients for their annual reviews via the usual method.

Thank you for your continued co-operation and support.

27/07/2026

Update for patients on East Lancashire Industrial Action in Blood Sciences

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.

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
processing, with the intent of returning to 100% capacity over the next few weeks.

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

02/07/2026

Ilex view medical practice took on Lucardo escape rooms today during our PLT time, lots of fun was had and brains used! Luckily we all managed to escape so business as usual tomorrow 😂

25/06/2026

Could you host someone with Dementia in your home for a care day?
To find out more, please visit https://www.thefiloproject.co.uk/

25/06/2026

Free family fun and wellbeing day!

THE VALLEY LEADERSHIP ACADAMY - FEARNS MOSS STACKSTEADS

SATURDAY 11TH JULY 1PM - 4PM

25/06/2026

A little treat on such a hot day for the staff at Ilex yesterday! 🍦

23/06/2026

We have been advised by Lancashire teaching hospitals that, from today, the Lab are able to accept a limited number of non urgent blood samples for testing.
Whilst this does mean we will be able to go ahead with some routine blood tests, such as repeats of abnormal blood tests or diagnostic blood tests, we are still not able to offer routine blood tests for things like annual reviews.

If you have a blood test appointment booked and we are not able to offer this, we will be in touch to offer you an appointment at a later date.

18/06/2026

Due to strike action at our local laboratories in Blackburn and Burnley, we are not currently able to offer routine blood testing at this time.

The Lancashire and South Cumbria Pathology Service are working hard to increase our capacity in the coming days and more information, including frequently asked questions, is available here: https://lscprovidercollaborative.nhs.uk/blood-sciences-strikes