A HOSPITAL governor has raised concerns that a proposed media policy could act as a ‘gagging’ order.

Members of Dorset County Hospital’s council of governors were shown copies of the media policy, which the hospital is consulting on before a final updated policy is produced.

The proposed policy suggests the hospital’s communications manager or their nominated deputy should be informed in advance of all staff and governor exchanges with the media.

Governor Michel Hooper-Immins said he had not seen the proposed policy in advance of the meeting and had not gone through it fully but feared that it could be an attempt to silence governors.

He said: “This is an attempt to gag governors in my opinion.

“Public governors have the right to speak up publicly, we represent the public’s interest and public governors have a right to act on what they perceive to be in the public interest.

“Just because we don’t always agree with what the hospital says it doesn’t mean it’s wrong.”

Chairman of the Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Jeffrey Ellwood said it was not about trying to ‘gag’ governors but simply making sure all shared information was accurate