YEOVIL Hospital has said it is not in the best interests of the majority of their patients to merge children’s services with Dorset County Hospital.

A report by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health published this week as part of the Dorset CCG’s review of local health services suggested the county town hospital could look to integrate paediatric and maternity services with Yeovil.

Campaigners in Dorset are concerned that, while there is not yet an exact model for what the integrated service could look like, it could mean that overnight maternity or paediatrics could relocate to Somerset.

The report claimed that the size of departments in Dorchester and Yeovil meant they were not sustainable in the long term and suggested integration as an alternative to services transferring from Dorset County Hospital to Poole or Bournemouth.

In a statement however, Yeovil Hospital said they had discussed the proposed opportunity to merge services with the Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group but there was “not currently a case for change.”

Yeovil Hospital said that currently Dorset patients make up 10 percent of all patients cared for and there was not currently a case for change that would be in the best interests of the entire patient population.

A spokesman for Yeovil Hospital said: “This report focuses on services provided to Dorset patients, who represent around 10 per cent of all patients cared for at Yeovil Hospital each year.

“Whilst the report does suggest opportunities for making changes to maternity and paediatric services in our hospital, we have discussed these in detail with Dorset CCG, Somerset CCG and the authors from the Royal College and at this stage have concluded that there is not currently a case for change which represents the best interests of our entire patient population in Somerset and beyond.

“We have a history of collaborating with our neighbouring hospitals, including those in Dorset, and look forward to continue developing these partnerships in the future.”

A spokesman for from NHS Dorset CCG said the Royal College report made a number of recommendations to ensure that children’s services were sustainable in the future, including better community services creating a Dorset-wide team of midwives and local partners working more closely together.

He added: “We recognise that at the present time it may not be feasible for Yeovil District Hospital to integrate with Dorset to the extent detailed by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health.

“The report recommends that integration is considered in the medium term and if this is not feasible, other models that are being developed should be considered including a ‘One Dorset’ service which means staff working across the county to provide services.

“In the meantime local partners will continue to share expertise and collaborate on projects where appropriate.”

The full report is at dorsetccg.nhs.uk