RESIDENTS have criticised health chiefs for 'stifling debate' around a controversial shake-up of health services in Dorset.

A Dorset health watchdog has revealed a list of concerns surrounding the Clinical Services Review as health chiefs visited Kinson Community Centre to seek views and answer questions as part of the public consultation.

Martyn Webster, manager of Healthwatch Dorset, said there is ‘a lot of sceptism’ the new look ‘integrated community services’ will have the resources or capacity to provide ‘high-quality care’ outside acute hospitals.

He said people are ‘really worried’ the re-organisation of A&E will result in some people finding it ‘harder to get the care they need when they need it.’

He added: “Local people have also told us that while centralising certain services may be attractive to the clinicians, administrators and accountants, they’re worried it will result in much greater inconvenience and hardship for some patients and families, particularly those who are more disadvantaged and vulnerable.”

NHS Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) proposes making Royal Bournemouth Hospital the county’s major emergency hospital, leaving Poole Hospital for planned care with an urgent care centre.

If proposals went ahead Poole Hospital’s A&E, maternity and paediatrics wards would close to be relocated at Royal Bournemouth Hospital. The number of community hospitals would reduce from 13 to just seven ‘community hubs’.

Residents also criticised the document saying it makes it difficult to grasp what impact the proposals would have, some parts are ‘biased’ towards one option and there’s too much use of ‘NHS jargon’ with ‘limited real information the public can understand.’

Martyn added: “While we welcome Dorset CCG's series of drop-in events promoting the consultation, people have told us that there aren’t enough of these events to really cover every part of the county. And some people have said that they feel the process ‘seems designed to stifle debate.’

“Many people have told us they would like to see proper public meetings where people can ask questions and get answers from decision-makers from the CCG.

“Local people in some parts of the county have already arranged their own residents’ meetings and got representatives of the CCG there to answer questions, but it’s been patchy.”

A spokesman for NHS Dorset CCG said: "When planning the consultation we have worked hard with local partners including members of the public and patient groups to ensure as many people as possible are able to have their say.

"Feedback on the format of the events has on the whole been positive with people welcoming the opportunity to sit with members of the team and have a more detailed discussion than that which they would have had at previous events. We too have welcomed the opportunity to be able to do this as it has allowed us to help people better understand the proposals.

"Whether people want to complete the whole questionnaire or just have a say on services in their community we want to hear their views.

"Therefore we are encouraging everyone to come along to the events whether they agree with the proposals or not and have their say."

Drop-in information events will take place next week at Emmanuel Baptist Church, Swanage, on Tuesday, January 17 from 2pm until 8pm, at St Mary’s Longfleet Church Centre, Poole, on Thursday, January 19 from 2pm until 8pm and at the Barrington Centre, Ferndown, on Wednesday, January 25 from 2pm until 8pm.

For information go to csr.dorsetsvision.nhs.uk