A PUBLIC consultation drop-in sessions was held yesterday to encourage residents to help shape the future of health services in the county by having their say. 

As reported, after more than two years of work on its Clinical Services Review the NHS Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) launched a consultation for 12 weeks on December 1. 

With the consultation now approaching the half way line residents were encouraged to drop-in to the Weymouth Pavilion yesterday to voice their opinions and concerns and have questions answered.

The consultation explains how rising demand on services means significant changes are needed to be made to continue a high-quality, safe care that the NHS can afford both now and in the future. 

The CCG is therefore proposing to create a major planned hospital (preference being Poole Hospital), a major emergency hospital (preference being Royal Bournemouth Hospital) and claims Dorset County Hospital would remain "broadly similar".

A main concern raised at the drop-in event was the issue of transport for families if services are moved to the east of the county. 

Campaigners who have been fighting to protect services at DCH also gathered at the Pavilion.

Claudia Sorin from the group said: "Paediatric and maternity services should stay at Dorset County Hospital. We have been running a travel survey and nearly 700 people have responded.

"Having a sick child taken to the other side of the county will be detrimental to the child, its mother, siblings and overall family. The cost of travel is just too much - especially for those who don't have a car."

Naomi Patterson, also from the group, was urging people to ensure they add their extra comments and opinions into the boxes provided on the consultation.

Residents Margaret Watts said: "It's been better than I expected. It's been good to come along and ask our questions.

Judith Sadler added: "We haven't got answers to everything but they are hearing us. A lot of people's concerns are around the transport which is understandable."

Kim Phillips, media and communications co-ordinator at Dorset CCG, said: "It's been a fantastic event. Quite a lot of people have be coming in and staying for quite a while to ask their questions and understand a bit more about the consultation and discuss what their concerns are. 

"We are trying to provide as much information as possible. People want to know answers to how the changes could affect them - and that's why we are holding the events.

"We want people to fill out the questionnaire either online or in the booklet and let us know what they think and have their say. We have had a steady flow of the responses coming in over Christmas but with us nearly half way through we are really pushing for people to fill out the questionnaires. 

"With events like today we are also trying to eliminate any confusion about the consultation. 

"In relation to maternity services for example everything is still undecided. There are talks between Dorset County Hospital and Yeovil District Hospital. It is still something that is being looked at.

"It is a really tricky situation and very complex."

The consultation runs until February 28. Visit dorsetvision.nhs.uk to have your say.