A MAJOR review into the way healthcare is provided in Dorset will begin next week.

The NHS Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) has announced it will review the way the health service is provided in the county and will include every aspect of the service, apart from dentistry.

The first phase of the review will start next Wednesday (October 22) with a public information event at the Bournemouth International Centre, with a number of other information events held in south and west Dorset, before a blueprint of the way the service is proposed.

The second phase will be a public consultation to allow members of the public to air their opinions on any proposed changes before the third stage of the implementation of any changes.

Dr Forbes Watson, chairman of NHS Dorset CCG and a local GP at Lyme Bay Medical Practice said the review was necessary and important.

Dr Watson said: “There are three reasons for carrying out this review.

“Increasing life expectancy is affecting all NHS and social care organisations and more so for us in Dorset, where 25 per cent of our residents are over 65 years old.

“At the other end of the scale, our population of under-20s is growing by 30 per cent and these younger people also have different healthcare needs.

“There are also clinical challenges to consider, such as availability of skills and staff while maintaining quality standards of care.”

The review, the first of its kind in the country, will be undertaken with local GPs, hospitals, local authorities and members of the public.

The CCG will also look at the budget of the NHS, and how it can be made more efficient and more sustainable in the face of increases in demand for its services and future cuts to finance.

Dr Watson added: “There isn’t any extra money to solve these challenges, so another part of the review will include looking at how we can make services in Dorset financially viable. We need to rebuild a health and social care system that is sustainable for future use for our family, friends and communities.

“As a practicing GP, I can see many ways we can make improvements without compromising quality and services.

“We can work with partners to integrate health and social care, encourage health promotion and disease prevention and provide services as close to home as possible.”

The public information event at the Bournemouth International Centre will take place between 9am and midday on Wednesday, October 22 and will include a question and answer session with two GPs.

For more information on the event contact 01305 368073 or visit dorsetccg.nhs.uk