ONE BATTLE is won but the fight is far from over. 

This is the message from campaigners fighting to protect children's services at Dorset County Hospital (DCH). 

Health bosses announced on September 13 that west Dorset's paediatric and maternity services would not be centralised in the east of the county. 

But now campaigners face a new battle as services could be shared between DCH and Yeovil District Hospital (YDH). 

Campaigner, Naomi Patterson said: “Us mums have been working on this campaign for three years but the anxiety hasn’t gone away. 

“We are still in the same position. There’s still a chance we will lose our services and it would be such a waste of our campaign.”

Save Kingfisher Ward campaign group has now launched a new petition aimed at Dorset CCG in a bid to retain full services at DCH. 

“It’s about making sure the safest decisions are made and we just feel that having the DCH 24-hour consultant led service would be the safest option.

“They provide services for so many people and families could still be torn apart,” Naomi said. 

She added that if services were moved to Yeovil, it would leave people in rural Dorset worse off with Bournemouth still being their nearest service.

“Our campaign group want to put out the losing consultant led services would mean a down-grade for the whole hospital.

“I do my best to keep my son out of hospital and I wouldn’t be able to provide that level of care without the Kingfisher Ward at DCH service. He has open access care which means we can bypass GPs and A&E and go straight to the ward. 

“Obviously it will be a nightmare for us but if we lose the open access care it could be a massive strain on A&E and GP services,” Naomi said. 
She added that being able to go straight to the paediatric doctors was a massive stress relief for parents. 

Naomi said the DCCG confirmed DCH and YDH will be given three months to come up with the proposals and they hope a public consultation will be completed and a decision made within six months. 

“Our aim is not just to build up the support and make sure people are physically getting to the consultations,” she said. 

Save Kingfisher Ward's petition can be found at : you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/keep-kingfisher-maternity-a-24-7-paediatric-led-unit-at-dorset-county-hospital

In a statement, a spokesman from DCH said: “We welcome the CCG’s preferred option for paediatric and maternity services in the west, with DCH working with YDH to provide a sustainable and safe service for women and children. 

"Our consultant paediatricians and obstetricians will continue to work with their colleagues in Yeovil on the best possible solution for the local population."

A spokesperson from NHS Dorset CCG added: “As agreed by the governing body earlier this week, in the west of the county we will seek to commission the delivery of consultant-led maternity and paediatric services integrated across Dorset County Hospital and Yeovil District Hospital for the Dorset population. 

"This means that over the coming months, both hospitals will consider how this could work to offer the best for local families, with any plans being subject to further public consultation by both Dorset and Somerset CCGs.”