THE DEFEND Dorset NHS campaign has given its reaction to the news that Poole and Bournemouth Hospitals - who are planning a controversial merger - have decided to appoint one joint chief executive to run both establishments.
"We would not be opposed to one Trust running both Hospitals so long as Poole retained Trauma A&E and Specialist Maternity, including neo natal intensive and high dependency care, given that this would mean all could then access these services in an emergency within the safe guideline times of 30-45 minutes," said the campaign's Debby Monkhouse.
She said these were the safe guideline times quoted for acute stroke, major trauma and maternity emergency by the CCG's own Travel Times specialist Consultants, Steer, Davies, Gleave.
Defend Dorset NHS recently lost its legal case to have a judicial review of the proposal to merge the hospitals, moving Poole's A&E to Bournemouth and closing five of the 13 community hospitals in Dorset, including one in Wareham and in St Leonard’s.
The reorganisation is aimed at avoiding a projected funding shortfall, estimated to be at least £158m a year by 2021.
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