COUNCILLORS from across Dorset have had their say on a proposed shake-up of health services in the county.

Members of the Joint Health Scrutiny Committee met at County Hall in Dorchester to discuss the NHS Dorset CCG (Clinical Commissioning Group) Clinical Services Review.

The CCG has been consulting on the review, which outlines its vision for the future of health services in Dorset.

The consultation period ends tomorrow and the committee met to agree its contribution to the exercise.

The proposals under the Clinical Services Review include designating the Royal Bournemouth Hospital as a Major Emergency Hospital and Poole Hospital as a Major Planned Care Hospital.

Dorset County Hospital will continue to provide acute emergency care and the CCG says the majority of services it provides already will remain.

No preferred option has been set out for the future of paediatric services and maternity services at Dorset County Hospital in the consultation document, with discussions currently taking place between the Dorchester hospital and Yeovil District Hospital regarding the possible merger of services.

If Dorset County Hospital does not reach an agreement with Yeovil, it could be forced to look to Poole or Bournemouth to ensure services remain sustainable.

Patricia Miller told the meeting of the hat a clinical working group set up to discuss the collaboration between Yeovil and Dorchester had recommended it was the best way forward and both hospitals were in agreement.

She added: "The expectation is we will be agreeing a recommendation for consultation by May."

Councillors also heard from Dorchester health campaigner Claudia Sorin, who outlined concerns from the Dorset Health Campaign resulting from a travel survey of users of the Kingfisher children's ward at Dorset County Hospital.

Around 20 per cent of nearly 700 people surveyed said they did not have their own transport and would be "unfairly impacted" if services moved to Bournemouth or Poole.

She added: "Parents of children with severe of life threatening conditions who currently have open access to the Kingfisher Ward stated that their child would be put at greater risk by having to travel further to access the treatment they need in an emergency."

CCG chairman Forbes Watson said that the wider aim of the Clinical Services Review was to create a better standard of care at the end of a patient's journey.

He said: "The overwhelming evidence is that clinical outcomes with a high level of consultant level support significantly outweigh any extension of travel times."

Other concerns raised by the committee about the CCG proposals included rural transport issues, the impact of the plans on ambulance services and the loss of community beds in the west of the county.

Cllr Ros Kayes also raised concerns about the consultation exercise and the way it was carried out.

The CCG's director of engagement and development Charles Summers responded: "We genuinely feel we have opened up to the people of Dorset every opportunity to engage in this process."