A DECISION to transfer all emergency surgical services from Chorley Hospital to Preston has raised fears about the future of the town's A&E department.

Chorley MP Lindsay Hoyle said he was deeply concerned about the proposals that Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust wants to implement the change by October and has written to the Secretary of State for Health.

The trust and Chorley and South Ribble and Preston Primary Care Trusts have joined forces to overhaul general medical services, emergency surgical provision, gynaecology surgery, orthopaedics and specialist cancer surgery.

Mr Hoyle, said:"While the trust do not believe that this will have an adverse effect on the Accident and Emergency Unit at Chorley, my grave fear is that as more and more emergency cases are taken to Preston the number using the A&E Department will not be sufficient to ensure we maintain a full 24 hour A&E unit at Chorley."

Simon Mallett, Conservative Parliamentary candidate for Chorley, joined the protest, too.

He said: "I cannot believe that patient safety will not be undermined. It is essential that a fully equipped accident and emergency department is maintained at Chorley."

Tony Curtis, trust chief executive, said: "The changes will ensure that we can provide more responsive services, reduce waiting times, meet increased demand on our services and where possible maintain local access to local hospitals."