Our Dorset, the partnership of all of the NHS and local authority organisations in Dorset, is working to develop a host of exciting healthcare projects as part of the Government’s national Health Infrastructure Plan (HIP).

The plans were presented yesterday (8 March) to BCP Council’s Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee, where members were updated on the latest progress of these developments, including how they fit within the wider Dorset Clinical Service Review (CSR).

The Government’s HIP aims to drive improvements through the delivery of 40 new hospital projects, with Dorset hosting 12 of these schemes. The new national team set up to deliver these plans, called the New Hospital Programme (NHP), has prioritised five of these 12 hospital proposals.

The investment into the Dorset system amounts to a planned £370m for the five hospital developments, while the full 12 projects would take this total to more than £500m.

Dorset HealthCare Chief Executive Eugine Yafele,  the senior responsible officer of the new hospital programme in Dorset, said:

“We were delighted to update local authority partners on the progress of these exciting plans, which will have a hugely positive impact on patients, service users, staff and the wider Dorset community.

“This programme is a key project for the NHS and a once-in-a-generation opportunity to integrate and improve mental health, community and acute hospital services.”

Plans will be developed in partnership with each Trust’s workforce, local communities and other partners, with the total programme of investment running up to 2026.

The presentation to BCP Council’s Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee can be read here.