COST and location are the key reasons the Royal Bournemouth Hospital (RBH) has been recommended for development as the county's major emergency hub.

As revealed by the Daily Echo on Monday, the trust is 'preferred' above Poole Hospital by the Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) for development in this manner as part of the ongoing Clinical Services Review.

CCG transformation director Phil Richardson said more patients would travel to the new hub from east Dorset than from the west, as Dorset County Hospital's A&E service would remain largely unchanged.

"The key reasons for choosing Bournemouth are, first of all, access to the population served by the hospital. Bournemouth serves Dorset and Hampshire," he said.

"The other thing is value for money, there is a difference in cost of £42 million which can therefore be invested differently if Bournemouth is chosen."

If Bournemouth is chosen, patients from Dorset and western Hampshire who require more serious emergency treatment will go there. Poole Hospital would be redeveloped as a planned care site.

The recommendation will go to a public consultation in the autumn, with both options presented for consideration, including having Poole Hospital as the emergency site. Around £145 million would be invested to implement the changes.

RBH chief executive Tony Spotswood said: "It is not possible to provide a full array of services at each of the three hospitals, there simply isn't the workforce being trained in the UK at the moment or sufficient numbers of doctors and nurses available.

"The Bournemouth site is newer and much more flexible with a much larger footprint. It offers much better value for the taxpayer if developed as the emergency site."

Poole Hospital also seeks to become the major emergency centre.

Medical director Robert Talbot said: "We believe that the number of key services already provided here, for example our designation as east Dorset’s unit for emergency and trauma surgery, as well as our central location and ability to take on the role of Dorset’s Major Emergency Hospital sooner, placed us in an extremely strong position."

“We also believe that the increased costs associated in choosing Poole Hospital form just a small fraction of the county’s total health spend over the next two decades.

“While disappointed with the clinical commissioning group’s recommendation, and whatever the final outcome, we are confident of a bright and positive future, and will work hard to preserve and build on the high standards and unique philosophy of care that we provide day in, day out to our patients and their families.”