The first public consultation surrounding regional plans to overhaul the NHS has begun in Dorset.
The three-month consultation by Dorset CCG follows a lengthy approval process with NHS England, which was finalised late last month.
In line with the sustainability and transformation plan, the CCG is consulting on cutting community hospitals and beds.
The first public consultation surrounding regional plans to overhaul the NHS has begun in Dorset.
The three-month consultation by Dorset CCG follows a lengthy approval process with NHS England, which was finalised late last month.
In line with the sustainability and transformation plan, the CCG is consulting on cutting community hospitals and beds.
According to the consultation document, in their place, the STP is planning to set up “community hubs” which are to provide “a joint health and social care team approach to caring for patients, particularly the elderly and frail”.
The document said: “They will allow you to have outpatient appointments outside of acute hospitals and closer to home.
“Care is provided by an extended multidisciplinary team with health and care staff working together from a single central location.”
The CCG estimates that the changes to services in the community will cost up to £20m, which will be found locally.
Forbes Watson, chair of Dorset CCG, said: “These proposals are the outcome of collective work from local clinicians who are experts in their area of work.
“At the start of the review they were tasked with designing Dorset’s future healthcare so it could continue to deliver the high standard of care local people are used to receiving both now and in the future.”
While other CCGs, including Devon and Cumbria, are consulting on changes that appear in the STP, they started before the documents became public.
The Dorset consultation will be open until February 28.
