A major healthcare shake-up would mean longer journey times for more patients than those who would have their journey time reduced.

This is the findings of a new independent report carried out by the South West Ambulance Service Trust (SWAST).

SWAST analysed 21,944 patient records over a four-month period to analyse how NHS Dorset CCG proposals for its Clinical Services Review could impact emergency transfers in maternity services and both adult and children.

The report concluded if the plans go ahead to make Poole General Hospital (PGH) a planned centre and Royal Bournemouth Hospital (RBH) a major emergency hospital, ‘for many patients, journey times will be shorter’.

However, details of the report revealed while 17,005 patients journeys would remain the same and 917 patients would have their journey times lessened, 3,399 patients would have to travel further.

The biggest increase was an additional 23 minutes to journey time.

A spokesperson from the Dorset CCG said: “Whilst there may be longer journeys for some people they will be largely the same or shorter for the majority.

“If you need emergency care you are likely to need an ambulance and when this is the case your care starts the moment the paramedic arrives and will continue whilst you are conveyed to the nearest, most appropriate hospital for treatment.”

During the four month period, 20,246 emergency medical and trauma calls were reviewed for the report.

Of these 16,113 patients had no difference to their journey time, 650 had their journey reduced and 3,061 had journeys lengthened with an additional 23 minutes being added to some journeys.

Out of 154 maternity related direct admissions analysed, 60 patients had no difference in journey time, 53 had a shorter journey and 41 had to travel further to either Dorset County Hospital (DCH) or RBH.

The greatest additional journey time was 21 minutes.

Under the proposed changes, children with minor ailments would still be able to be treated at PGH but more severely unwell children would have to be transferred to RBH or DCH.

The report stated: “Some critically ill children from within the PGH catchment area will have to be transported further to the nearest emergency department.”

Of the 1,337 cases included in the report, 832 children had no difference in journey time, 214 had a shorter journey and 291 had to travel further.

However, the report assumed DCH Emergency Department would continue to manage the full spectrum of paediatric conditions.

The report said the “potentially significant” operational impact of paediatric facilities moving from DCH to Yeovil District Hospital was not included in the report and therefore the result was an underestimate.

The operational impact of the healthcare shake-up would mean an extra 25,512 minutes of ambulance cover would be needed over the four-month period, equating to just over three and a half hours a day.

A DCCG spokesperson said: “Under the proposals it is calculated that an additional 3 hours 34 minutes of emergency ambulance cover per day would be required to manage the additional impact.

“We have worked very closely with our partner organisations, including South Western Ambulance and will continue to do so during implementation once decisions have been made. This will include looking at capacity of the existing ambulance services.

“We are confident that we can ensure ambulance cover will be available and that patients will be quickly and safely transported to the most appropriate care.”