POOLE is the logical choice for Dorset's major emergency hospital, according to the trust's chief executive Debbie Fleming.

In an exclusive interview with the Daily Echo, Ms Fleming said Poole has a compelling case to remain as the county's largest emergency centre.

"Poole's roots have always been in emergency care. This is what it is set up to do and does very successfully. There are only five other hospitals in the UK that deliver a higher proportion of emergency care."

She said that the Royal Bournemouth and Poole have always worked collaboratively and that there is no good reason why their primary roles should be reversed.

"Bournemouth has focused predominantly on planned care which it does very well, whilst Poole focuses more on emergency care. Poole is the east Dorset trauma unit - 90 per cent of our total inpatient activity is emergency treatment, with only 10 per cent being planned.

"This arrangement has worked well over the years because it has allowed the two hospitals to specialise which is very important because when you go into hospital you want to be treated by someone who has plenty of experience in that particular area.

"If the two hospitals had to swap roles, it would be very disruptive because we already provide the majority of services required for a major emergency hospital.

"Only four services would need to be transferred from Bournemouth for us to undertake this role, compared to nine of our services having to be transferred to Bournemouth."

In response to Bournemouth's claim that it would a more cost effective site to develop, Ms Fleming said that the latest independent financial review had shown that finance is a not a material point.

"There is an independent review of both the Poole and Bournemouth estates and although it is still a work in progress, to date, it appears that there are no significant differences in the development costs. Some of the earlier assessments are now out of date.”

She added: "It is important to remember that Bournemouth and Poole are both medium-sized hospitals so one would need to expand.

"We would build up rather than out and there are parts of the hospital that would need to be redeveloped, which would give us the opportunity to really improve services."

Ms Fleming also addressed claims that Bournemouth is best placed because it serves the biggest concentration of the population in Bournemouth and Christchurch..

"Location is very important and Poole is the most central location in Dorset. We are also best placed to work with Dorset County Hospital, we are close to the main bus and train stations which is important for people coming from the west of the county. and it avoids placing two emergency hospitals in the east because Southampton is that side too."

Ms Fleming who took on the chief executive role in April last year, also referred to what she calls the Poole approach.

"We are known for providing high quality care; 94 per cent of patients and 87 per cent of staff would recommend us to friends and families - we also have a history of treating patients from across the whole of Dorset."

She adds that Poole has the space and a plan to meet the demands of a bigger emergency unit.

"We would increase the capacity of our emergency department with three additional theatres and provide an additional 330 beds."

Ms Fleming also acknowledged that Poole had a deficit to address.

"Trusts are paid a tariff for what they do – some areas generate more profit than others such as planned procedures but not emergency care.

"Now Bournemouth is facing a similar situation as there have been changes to the tariff and planned care is no longer as profitable as it used to be.

"If you don't have the volumes, you are struggling because costs are going up. The more volume, the more efficient you become to cover the costs."

"We agreed [with regulator Monitor] that we would have a deficit position at the end of March of £3.6million and we finished the year slightly better than that."

Ms Fleming sums up: "We are already the successful trauma unit for east Dorset, we have the best location, we have the space to expand and we can deliver the benefits faster and with less disruption and with no significant difference in cost.

"But whatever the outcome, Poole will continue to do its very best for both its patients and for its staff."

  • The CCG will make its decision on which hospital will be the emergency centre in March 2016 based on criteria such as accessibility and affordability.

The changes are expected to be implemented between three and five years.