POOLE councillors are set to vote on the town’s hospital being retained as the county’s main emergency facility.

A debate is set for the next full council meeting on June 27 with a view to this becoming the borough’s official stance.

It would put BoP at odds with bosses at Dorset’s Clinical Commissioning Group, who have already stated their preference for Royal Bournemouth to have the main A&E centre while Poole Hospital would be the centre for planned care.

One argument in favour of RBH is that it has more space for development.

However supporters of Poole say it is in a better and more strategic location for patients.

Cllr Karen Rampton, Portfolio Holder for Health, Social Care, Housing, Equalities and Community Safety at the Borough of Poole says the council “supports the principle of acute hospital reconfiguration and understands the case for change.”

She told the Echo: “We have heard with interest the responses of Poole residents to the Dorset CCG consultation through a variety of consultation methods including questionnaires, telephone surveys and independent petitions.

“Residents in Poole who responded to the consultation have expressed a strong view on Option A, that is for Poole General Hospital to be the major emergency hospital and for Bournemouth hospital to be the planned care hospital. We would wish to support our residents with this view.

“I will be taking a motion to council to be debated with a view to this becoming the council’s official position although we recognise that the ultimate decision on the reconfiguration of the acute hospitals is for the Dorset CCG to make, and not the council.”

Cllr Rampton said: “I would like to think this is not a done deal and that the CCG will see our point of view and at least look at our transport concerns.”

She said councillors were also worried about the future of maternity and cancer services at Poole.

Last week, the results of the £100,000 public consultation were revealed with the CCG being urged to address ‘many concerns’ over the controversial shake-up.

According to ORS, the same people who conducted the local government review consultation process, there was support for the RBH proposal.

However many people were concerned “with travel to Bournemouth and the accessibility of the major emergency hospital.”

There were also comments that plans were unsuitable, unsafe and financially motivated.

Tim Goodson, chief officer of the CCG, which plans and commissions healthcare, admitted there were a lot of concerns.