ACTIVISTS collected objections to proposals to transfer specialist beds out of a hospital and delivered them to health chiefs.

The Community Care Protection Group (CCPG) is opposed to the removal of 40 intermediate care beds, for patients recovering after treatment, from Orpington Hospital, Sevenoaks Road.

More than 1,500 responses were gathered from Orpington residents and taken to Bromley Primary Care Trust, in Farnborough.

Plans to provide the service from a new purpose-built facility are being considered by Bromley PCT.

The PCT’s public consultation on the issue has been criticised by the CCPG which says not enough residents views have been taken into account.

Co-ordinator of the CCPG Maria Goldenburg says it is vital the beds remain at Orpington Hospital.

Orpington MP John Horam, who helped deliver the responses, says transferring the service to another hospital would be a waste of NHS funds.

He said: “All the facilities to run these specialist beds are in place. There’s no need for them to go anywhere else. Orpington needs these beds and any spare money should be spent on badly-needed nursing staff.” Bromley PCT’s consultation finished on June 15 and it says no final decision has been taken.

A spokesman for Bromley PCT said: “We welcome the efforts by Mr Horam and the CCPG to support the intermediate care consultation and will add their delivery to the many we have already received.

“It is our intention to retain 64 beds in Bromley and to ensure there is good access to them for residents from all parts of the borough.

“The board will take a decision on where to locate these services. Service providers, including Bromley Hospitals Trust, will then be invited to submit tenders for these.”