THE GROUP campaigning to stop the closure of Poole's A&E department and its specialist maternity unit have won another battle after councillors voted to refer the controversial decision to the health secretary.

However, one of its leading voices, Debby Monkhouse, said there were fears the letter that would be sent may not be strong enough in putting the case to maintain safe facilities.

"We trust the letter will call for the matter to be scrutinised by the Independent Reconfiguration Panel," she said, adding that the Health Secretary didn't automatically have to do this.

She said she feared the Poole request would be 'weak'.

It is understood that the committee's letter will express concerns about the transfer of maternity services from Poole Hospital to Royal Bournemouth, in addition to the transfer of A&E, which is contained within the Dorset County Council referral.

If Health Secretary Matt Hancock decides to pass the committee's concerns to the Independent Reconfiguration Panel they will have to review the decision - looking at the evidence and the way it was arrived at - and will then offer advice and opinion to the Secretary.

Members of Poole's People Overview and Scrutiny (Health & Social Care) Committee had to walk through a noisy protest by Defend Dorset NHS supporters at the Civic Centre on Monday evening.

Once inside they debated a motion calling for them to submit a letter to the Secretary of State in support of Dorset County Council's similar referral, regarding Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group’s (CCG) decision on healthcare reorganisation.

Campaigners are angry because they say the figures supplied by the CCG and South Western Ambulance to support the merger - which DDNHS claims will cost lives - are not a true reflection of the potential situation for those who must travel from the west of the region.

Earlier in the evening Debby Monkhouse had urged councillors to stick up for the people. “It’s really important that Poole council stands up for Poole residents," she said.

Councillor Mark Howell claimed during the meeting that Dorset’s clinical commissioning group (CCG) had “misrepresented” likely travel times between the two hospitals.

This was countered by representatives from the South Western Ambulance Service, who claim there will be a 60-second increase in journey time on average for adult patients, and a reduction of a minute on average for paediatric patients.