A MUM who has been at the forefront of campaigns to protect health services in west Dorset will now have a say on the running of her local hospital.

Naomi Patterson, who helped to lead the fight against the proposed shake-up of children’s services at Dorset County Hospital, has been elected as a governor of DCH, representing west Dorset.

Mrs Patterson, from Dorchester, first had the idea to stand around three years ago when leading the Save Kingfisher Ward campaign and the special care baby unit.

Her son George has spent much of his life in out of hospital, mainly at DCH.

A Dorset Echo-backed ‘Hands off our Wards’ petition attracted more than 26,000 signatures and resulted in health bosses reserving the decision and putting forward revised proposals.

The revised proposals unveiled by Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) last year would have seen DCH’s overnight children’s services, paediatric and maternity departments shared with Yeovil District Hospital.

However, those proposals were dropped in December last year. Speaking about her new governor role, Mrs Patterson said: “There is not much awareness of how the public can get involved but I hope we can raise awareness, as the public’s voice on how DCH is run is very important.

“The CCG listened after we campaigned against the closure of the Kingfisher Ward.”

She added: “Making hospital documents which outline decisions simpler to read is also a priority for me because the public should know what decisions are being made.

“I am also still fully behind the mums as its important for DCH to have a 24/7 consultant-led service at the hospital.”

Mrs Patterson added that she also stood in order to thank the staff for caring for her son George who suffered brain damage as a result of meningitis and often needed emergency care for epilepsy.

She said: “The staff at DCH have saved my child’s life for the last ten years and all of them are brilliant.

“I am very thankful to the public for giving me this opportunity.”

The elected and re-elected governors join the hospital’s existing five public governors, three staff governors and seven appointed governors to form the Council of Governors.

Mrs Patterson will be joined by Sarah Carney and Wally Gundry (West Dorset), Stephen Mason and Jean Spain (Weymouth & Portland) and Maurice Perks (North Dorset) as new governors. Serving governors Christine McGee (North Dorset), Sharon Waight (Weymouth & Portland) and David Tett (West Dorset) were re-elected.