Dorset County Hospital in Dorchester has been earmarked government funding for a new Emergency Department and Critical Care Unit.

Th hospital currently provides emergency and planned care to a population of approximately 300,000 across the west of the county.

Increasing demand is putting increasing pressure on its Emergency Department, which treats twice as many people as it was built for. Demand is expected to continue rise, so investment is vital to make sure it can meet the needs of patients.

The new Emergency Department and Critical Care Unit will be built on part of the site of the former Damers School building, using funding from the government's New Hospital Programme.

The existing school building would be demolished to facilitate the expansion and the new building would link to the existing hospital.

Emergency Department

Dorset County Hospital's Emergency Department (ED) has been ranked as one of the top 10 in the country for emergency care, even though we currently see twice the number of people the department was originally built for. 

The layout for the ED would be reconfigured to work better, with dedicated areas for a majors, minor, paediatrics and a dedicated mental health facility. There will also be an ambulance offload and fast assessment area.

Patients would access this facility via a new entrance off Damers Road, with short-stay parking provided. It will have a link corridor into the existing hospital and the helipad will be relocated onto the roof, with ambulance parking situated on the site of the current helipad.

During construction, the current ED will stay in operation, with construction managed around it. The ED will then move into the new building once it is completed and the existing ED will be repurposed.

Critical Care

With ongoing housing developments, a growing population, increased tourism and the COVID-19 pandemic, there has never been a higher demand for critical care services at Dorset County Hospital.This is where seriously ill patients receive specialist care.

At present, the hospital has 11 critical care bed spaces. The New Hospital Programme will enable the build of a 24-bed critical care unit (CrCU), including a paediatric space.

The unit will sit directly above the new Emergency Department.

Similar to the ED project, the current CrCU will remain open until the new facility is built, with the space being repurposed once services have relocated.

Improving vehicle flow and emergency vehicle access

A new access point off Damers Road will be required to the south of the new Emergency Department to enable service vehicles and patients to reach the department with ease.

This improved configuration will in turn provide ambulances with a separate, dedicated access route as the existing blue light access from Damers Road will not be affected.

The new access route will decrease congestion by improving vehicle flow into the site and prevent conflict for ambulances on arrival.

The site currently has three ambulance parking bays; this will be increased and a waiting area for up to ten vehicles will be created. There are also plans to develop a dedicated drop-off area and increase the amount of short-stay parking.

Wide-reaching, long-lasting benefits

News of the government funding has been welcomed by West Dorset's MP Chris Loder.

He said: "This is a significant milestone in the history of Dorset County Hospital, and it will have wide-reaching, long-lasting benefits for patients and staff.

"I am pleased that the government have recognised the value and strategic importance of our county town's hospital, and that improvements are needed.

"Around 300,000 people across the west of Dorset receive emergency and planned care at the current site, but increased demand and population is putting pressure on services."

The hospital has received outline planning permission and is now developing a full business case for the expansion.

Enabling works are due to begin in May 2023 and the full plans will also need to be submitted to Dorset Council.

The helicopter landing site has temporarily moved to the Army Reserve Centre site on Poundbury Road to allow enabling works and construction of the new Emergency Department and Critical Care Unit to take place. 

Subject to final approval from the government and local planning authority, construction work will begin in 2024.