I HAVE, with my granddaughters and great granddaughters been on the demonstration re the proposed changes to Kingfisher and SCBU wards at DCH.

The turnout was outstanding and my utmost respect goes to all the young parents who turned out to demonstrate against the proposals to Kingfisher and SCBU, for something that they feel will be to their detriment.

However, we must not forget the other proposed changes, acute services being one that cuts across all age groups.

How many people realise that Dorset's three main acute hospitals do not deliver 24/7 consultant care for acute care? If the proposed changes go ahead this will change to 24/7 acute care but east of the county.

Is this supposed to re-assure us? I for one am appalled that we do not have this cover now.

I am also not in least bit reassured that 24/7 cover will be available in the east of the county.

Dorset does not have a good road infrastructure for patients/relatives to get from A to B. It also has large deprived areas many in Weymouth and Portland whereby residents do not have the financial means to make repetitive journeys to Bournemouth or Poole.

We need consultancy cover here at DCH, which is accessible to those of us in the west of Dorset. What’s wrong with those in Bournemouth and Poole coming to DCH for their acute needs. Residents in the east could also access Southampton or even Portsmouth which has a much better road network than Dorset has.

It seems to me that the CCG is saying : "You have not got it now but we will give it to you but you will have to jump through hoops to get it."

Do not tell us it is about finance when, it is reported that £2.5million, which comes out of patient funding, has been given to an American consultancy to find ways of saving money. It's a joke, a country that has the reputation of “cash up front” if you want care being used to establish our care.

We are always being told that that top NHS staff are paid top salaries to get the right people, if this is so, then why do they need consultancies?

DCH may need tweaking in some areas but on the whole it is a good hospital. The £2.5million would have gone a long way in upgrading many of our services.

M D Watts

Wyke Regis,

Weymouth