HOSPITAL campaigners fighting for services at Dorset County Hospital will be showing solidarity with people from Poole as they hold a protest event ahead of a key meeting for health chiefs next week.

The Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) governing body is due to meet at Vespasian House in Dorchester next Wednesday, May 18 when it is expected to confirm Royal Bournemouth hospital as its preferred option for the county's major emergency centre ahead of Poole Hospital.

The move is part of the Clinical Services Review that has prompted concerns amongst families using Dorset County Hospital about the possible impacts on children's services and maternity services with the future of both still uncertain.

Campaigners have been voicing their support for the county town hospital for more than a year and they will again be making a stand ahead of the meeting of the governors.

Dorchester mum Naomi Patterson said they are expected to be joined by campaigners from Poole, who are concerned about the potential impact of losing out to Bournemouth as the preferred choice for the major emergency hospital.

She said: "We basically want to make a stand with Poole to say we are not happy. Our concern is still the children's services and they are not telling us anything."

Any proposals supported by the governors are due to go out to public consultation before any final decision is made.

Bridport councillor Ros Kayes, who has been supporting the Dorset County Hospital campaigners, said that moving higher level emergency care to Bournemouth would be a "disaster" for the west of the county.

She said it would be much harder for patients to get to Bournemouth than Poole and downgrading Poole's would also have a knock on effect on all of its services.

Cllr Kayes said: "It will make residents in the West second class citizens in respect of health care and access to health care.

"I would urge the CCG to think again about proposing an option that is viable for western Dorset and not just those in the east."

The CCG claims that only one or two per cent of patients travelling to Dorset County Hospital's emergency department would go to Bournemouth instead if it becomes the major emergency centre and stressed that there would still be 24/7 emergency care in Dorchester.

David Tett, a DCH governor representing west Dorset patients, said that while no decisions had yet been made, it felt like the decision to transfer services to the east of the county was already "done and dusted".

He said: "I do not consider that transferring these services to Bournemouth is in the best interests of those living in west Dorset.

"On the contrary, it could have a reverse effect in putting life at risk where the time factor is of paramount importance."

The campaigners will be gathering outside Vespasian House in Bridport Road from 1pm and are urging anyone who wants to show their support for Dorset County Hospital or Poole Hospital to come along.