CAMPAIGNERS fighting for services at Dorset County Hospital have said the public need to make themselves heard after health chiefs confirmed Bournemouth as their preferred location for the county's major emergency centre.

Protestors gathered ahead of a meeting of the governing body of the Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) at which members gave backing for the Royal Bournemouth Hospital to be the major emergency site in a move that would see Poole designated a major planned centre.

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The CCG stressed that the decision was still subject to consultation and would not be finalised until next year.

Dorset County Hospital campaigners fear that they may be forced to travel all the way to Bournemouth for some services if it is confirmed as the major emergency centre and they have still not received any news on proposals for the future of maternity and paediatric services in Dorchester.

The CCG's assistant clinical chair Dr Karen Kirkham said: "There is a lot of work going on and discussions taking place to try and resolve that."

She insisted that Dorset County Hospital was still a "pivotal provider" of services in the west of Dorset and governors were told that 95 to 97 per cent of admissions that currently go to Dorchester would still go to the hospital under the new proposed model of care for the acute hospitals.

Dorset County Hospital will retain a 24/7 emergency department.

Naomi Patterson, whose son George regularly requires treatment at Dorset County Hospital's Kingfisher Ward, said that the number of people present at the demonstration before the meeting showed how strongly people felt about the issue and there were still concerns that people would be forced to travel across the county for treatment.

She said: "They say DCH won't be affected by it but of course it will.

"My concern is still about the travel."

At the governing body meeting Dr Kirkham said the new model for acute care had been drawn up following extensive consultation with clinicians and the public as the ageing population and increasingly complex health needs of the county meant health services faced a potential shortfall of an estimated £158million by 2020/21.

She said: "We need to spend the money we have more effectively.

"Staying the same is not an option."

Dr Kirkham added: "We believe there should be one large major emergency hospital in the east of the county with more consultants available more of the time to deal with urgent and emergency care.

"By specialising in this way we believe can improve the outcomes for patients and save lives."

The CCG's proposals will now go through an assurance process before a 12-week public consultation period, which will not be before September.

Naomi urged all those with concerns about what was being proposed to make themselves heard when it comes to the consultation.

She said: "People need to get involved."