THE GROUP campaigning to prevent the downgrading of Poole Hospital's A&E department and its maternity services claims that people 'don't know what they are supporting' when they commented on the hospital's planning application for its new operating theatres.

Defend Dorset NHS - which is campaigning to prevent Poole losing its traditional A&E department and maternity and becoming the county's major planned care hospital with an urgent treatment unit - says it has screened comments made in support of the application and against.

DDNHS's Debby Monkhouse said: "I went on the Poole Planning Application site last Thursday night and opened all the supporting comments. More than half either made no comment or made comments that indicated they did not know what they had supported, for example looking forward to maternity upgrade at Poole."

As of Wednesday there were 206 documents relating to the application, of which 41 appeared to be from members of the public.

Many of those objecting cited reasons why they did not agree with the merger.

Tammy Smith of Newton Road, Swanage, said: "Quite simply by this proposal going ahead the merger will occur with Bournemouth hospital and as a result lives will be put at risk and lives will be lost. I strongly object to this proposal."

Kirsty Trimmer of Canford Heath listed all the incidents the hospital had helped her with, stating: "Without Poole services my husband and children would not of survived! People's health should not be put to a merger or who can pay more. The distance can be the difference between life and death."

However, protestors against the hospitals merger plan may be disappointed as decision-makers can only take into account what are described as 'material considerations' to the plan, which include issues such as overlooking or loss of privacy, parking, highway safety, layout and density of buildings and government policy.

Comments on the plan closed on Tuesday.