LYME Regis would miss out on a community hub in a proposed shake-up of Dorset healthcare services.

As part of the Dorset CCG's Clinical Services Review, proposals include bringing services closer to communities, with six or seven hubs likely to be set up in west Dorset. But the chairman of the Dorset CCG, Dr Forbes Watson, believes Lyme Regis is too small to warrant its own hub - and patients would instead be required to visit Bridport Hospital.

At the proposed hubs, patients could see a range of healthcare professionals and receive care that is currently dealt with at Dorset County Hospital.

Speaking at a public meeting held at Woodmead Halls by LymeForward, Dr Watson, who is a doctor at Kent House Health Centre in Lyme Regis, said: "We can't have the 24/7 all singing all dancing services in Lyme.

"There's not a big enough population, but we can have a very good service to meet the majority of patients' needs."

The CCG chairman was asked about the transport links in west Dorset and whether some people may struggle to physically access services.

"The transport issue is a difficult one if I'm honest," he said. "It's a concern of ours.

"Travel times across Dorset is a big issues for this review. For the most acutely unwell and for the most complex, in order to get the best outcome, it is likely they might be travelling further.

"You can't deliver the services in every village. It is just not practical to do so. What we are keen to do is deliver as much as we can as close to home as possible and look at how we can support transport. It is never going to be perfect, but we are looking at as many hubs as we can in west Dorset so that patients generally won't have to travel any further unless it is absolutely necessary."

Dr Watson said that the proposed hubs would not mean a reduction in general practitioner services, but would offer 'more support'.

The CCG estimates a vast population growth over the next few years, along with increased financial pressures.

"If we do nothing, it is likely that we will be in deficit of £170m to £200m per year," explained Dr Watson.

"I am very aware of the Lyme issues and I'm very aware of making sure that Lyme is on the map across the whole of Dorset to make sure it is treated fairly.

"If we don't do anything, something will be done to us at some point in the future and that will be reactive when we have no money left and we have very little option."