BURY'S MPs are meeting health bosses today, October 17, in a bid to squeeze out more money to combat bed-blocking.

Local doctors have already handed over £500,000 of savings to help get elderly people out of hospital and into a home once they are well.

But Bury North MP David Chaytor and his Bury South colleague Ivan Lewis are looking for more.

Mr Chaytor said: "I am delighted that local health professionals have responded so quickly and are working together more co-operatively than they have done for many years.

"I am glad to see that at least £500,000 of savings made by GP fundholders will be ploughed into easing the bed-blocking problem."

The MP added: "At our summit meeting today we shall be looking for ways of making even more progress. There is still a long way to go before we can say that bed-blocking in Bury is a thing of the past."

Mr Lewis said: "The outlook for Bury patients is rosier than it was a few weeks ago. However, we shall continue to use our efforts to encourage local health and social services professionals to come up with creative solutions."

The MPs have cheered the Government's announcement of an extra £300 million for hospitals this winter. They say they will fight to make sure Bury gets its fair share.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.