CAMPAIGNING MP Liz Lynne has handed health chiefs a 24,000 signature petition protesting at the possible merger of Rochdale and Bury hospitals. The Liberal Democrat MP says she believes lives could be at risk if central hospital facilities and accident and emergency services for the two towns are merged on a single site. The Rochdale MP hopes that the petition, delivered to Bury and Rochdale Health Authority yesterday after an eight mile bed push from Rochdale Infirmary by protestors, will help halt any plans for amalgamation. She said today: "These are two large towns and they both need their own hospital with their own accident and emergency unit.
"I believe lives will be at risk if casualty cases have to travel from one town to the other.
"There are also problems with relatives visiting the hospital.
"I am passionately opposed to any such merger and I hope that the Health Authority will rule against it when it makes its decision this week."
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