Local partners have agreed a multi-million-pound investment which will enable people across Dorset get more care closer to home.

The investment will help those people who have complex health needs and long term conditions to receive more care at home and receive the care they need earlier, reducing their need to be admitted unnecessarily to hospital.

The investment which will start from September was agreed by members of the Dorset Integrated Care System – Our Dorset.

The money will be invested in a number of areas including

  • More healthcare professionals working in primary and community teams (Multidisciplinary Team or MDT) to support people with complex needs;
  • Supporting people with diabetes or respiratory conditions;
  • Employing more community based pharmacists;
  • End of life care and support to people in local residential and nursing homes.

The agreement will see £3m be invested this financial year (2018/19) with £6m being invested each year thereafter.

Director of Primary and Community Care with NHS Dorset CCG Sally Sandcraft said “The investment that has been agreed by all the partners of Our Dorset is great news for everyone living in Dorset.

As a system, we want to be able to deliver care to people at a time and place that is best for them and with this additional support being agreed, we are confident that we will be able to do this, bringing real benefits for people living in all parts of the county including better co-ordinated care, fewer hospital admissions and less travel.”

Find out more about how Multidisciplinary Teams work in Weymouth, Bridport and Shaftesbury.