A BRIDPORT family has urged people to make a stand against proposed cuts to services at Dorset County Hospital.

The Dorchester hospital’s highly valued Kingfisher Ward and Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) have come under threat following a review by the Dorset Clinical Care Commissioning Group (CCG) of local health services.

A proposal being considered could see children who need long term care or who are seriously ill transferred to Poole or Bournemouth.

The CCG issued a statement stating nothing has been decided and any decisions about children’s healthcare in the county are yet to be made.

A march held earlier this month to protest against the proposed changes saw thousands take to the streets of Dorchester to back the Bridport News and its sister paper Dorset Echo-led campaign.

Simon Hyett and his wife Jenny have praised the staff at Kingfisher for their help and support when their youngest child, Poppy was diagnosed with meningitis.

Poppy, who is now three months old, was diagnosed with meningitis when she was just 12 weeks old.

Simon said the proposals were ridiculous. He said: “Our reaction to the news was fear and shock.

“Meningitis is such a serious illness and it takes a while to sink in. It is difficult to describe just how fantastic the staff are – they saved our daughter’s life.

“The doctors are always approachable, informative and prepared to take as long as they can to answer any questions we had.

“The nurses looked after Poppy 24 hours a day throughout her recovery and they couldn’t do enough to help helped not only Poppy, but us as well. We feel extremely fortunate to have been under their care at such a difficult time.

“I think that when most parents first hear about it they will be confused and concerned about what happens to their ill children if such a ridiculous intention is put into practice.

“For us after the last couple of weeks, we know for certain that if the Kingfisher Ward was not available on the night that Poppy was admitted to hospital, she would have had to wait at least another couple of hours to receive treatment.

“We don’t like to speculate on what may have been if that were the case.

“Keeping the Kingfisher and SCBU wards open will continue to save many children’s lives, as it has done in previous years.

“There is such a large catchment area that DCH covers that it does not make sense in the slightest to close such vital wards.

“In our minds, the wards that deal with the children are of paramount importance, and certainly shouldn’t be made to close.

“A fifteen minute journey late at night was long enough with a sick child. Not only that, but if you have other children who are being looked after by grandparents, it would be even harder to go home to see them, or have them visit.”

A second demonstration was organised outside the CCG offices on Friday June 19.