PROTESTERS gathered at County Hall to condemn the planned closure of health services across the county, before packing out a meeting of the county council's Health Scrutiny Committee.

The committee is monitoring Dorset NHS Clinical Commissioning Group's proposed reorganisation, which will see the closure of community hospitals across Dorset, including one on Portland, as well as that of Poole's Accident & Emergency department.

Debby Monkhouse from Defend Dorset NHS said the plans could leave Purbeck residents more than an hour's travel from emergency treatment.

"We have come here because we cannot accept the committee's refusal to refer the plans to [Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt]," she said. "Dorset residents are bearing the brunt."

Another protester, who had come dressed as an evil nurse in a Theresa May mask, said: "I am a patient, and I am impatient. I was born with three kidneys, and the NHS saved my life.

"I want my kids to have the same thing."

Addressing the crowd, Giovanna Lewis from Portland said the group was not prepared to see the island's community hospital close. "We, the people of Dorset, deserve better than this!" she declared to applause.

The lively meeting that followed saw input from several members of the public, and dissent among councillors.

Councillor Beryl Ezzard, from Purbeck, said she was 'perturbed' to note that the committee had in her absence executed a u-turn between two previous meetings, in November and December last year, overturning a decision to refer the proposals to the secretary of state - who could decide to quash them.

Committee chairman Cllr Bill Pipe denied a u-turn had been made. "It was merely a change of direction," he said, adding that the committee had decided there was insufficient evidence of opposition to the plans.

Ms Lewis spoke to reiterate that it was not too late for the committee to step in to save Portland hospital, where, she said, quality of care is 'exemplary', and alternative options for residents needing treatment are extremely limited.

Cllr Pipe reassured her that no beds would be closed until the CCG was satisfied that alternative provisions had been made.

Another petitioner, Stephen Bentley, expressed concern over the closure of the Linden mental health unit at Westhaven hospital in Weymouth, noting that Dorset's mental health services had once been excellent, but were in rapid decline, with loss of beds placing greater stress on acute care.

Dr. Jon Orrell, a borough councillor from Weymouth, argued the plans were evidence of the CCG's bias towards Bournemouth and Poole.

"They see [the rest of the county] as a scattered population," he said. "But we are important towns with important health needs." He pointed out that Weymouth and Portland registered some of the worst health outcomes in the county.

Cllr David Jones from Christchurch meanwhile accused the CCG of 'gambling with patients' lives', given the travel time between remoter parts of Purbeck and the A&E department at Royal Bournemouth Hospital.

Cllr Ezzard added that the scrutiny committee was failing to scrutinise the actions of the CCG. "The people of Purbeck are being shortchanged," she said.

Cllr Nick Ireland from Osmington proposed that the committee review its decision not to refer the plans to the secretary of state, a proposal seconded by Cllrs Jones and Ezzard.

Cllr Pipe agreed to the creation of a sub-group composed of five members of the committee, including himself, to collate and review evidence to decide if it is sufficient to refer to the secretary of state.

The group will report to the committee at a date to be decided.

Speaking after the meeting, health campaigner Claudia Sorin - who interrupted the meeting at one point by unfurling a banner reading "Save Our Hospitals' - described the result as 'a great success' .

"That was fantastic," said Ms Sorin. "It gives us an opportunity to gather the evidence we need.

"I'm optimistic that we can get these plans referred."