A&E at Dorset County Hospital to get a £2M cash injection
The money will be used to increase capacity in preparation for winter.
Dorset County Hospital's A&E Department is getting a £2 million cash injection to help it through the winter period.
It's designed to help the department through the next 18 months by increasing capacity and enabling them to make immediate improvements.
The money is part of a £150 million cash injection into 25 A&E's nationally, announced yesterday by the Health Secretary.
It's in addition to the £62m already given to Dorset County Hospital to help expand the Emergency Department and Intensive Care Unit.
Dorset County Hospital’s Director of Strategy, Partnerships and Transformation Nick Johnson said:
“The allocation of this very welcome funding is an early vote of confidence in us being able to deliver our site development plans following the granting of planning permission for our multi-storey car park by Dorset Council.
“This funding is in addition to the £62.5million we have already been allocated and will be used for short-term, immediate improvements to our Emergency Department to help manage the increasing number of patients we are seeing going into the winter.”
South Dorset MP, Richard Drax said:
“This is excellent news. We know the DCH A&E department needs an immediate boost and this will upgrade facilities until the proposed building project reaches fruition.”
“A&E departments have been under siege during the pandemic and with winter approaching, any extra help is welcome. I am delighted that DCH and the people of Dorset will benefit and I am pleased that we are not only fulfilling our manifesto promise, but exceeding it.”
The £150 million will also be used to enable a pilot scheme for NHS 111 using it as a front door for urgent care.
It means patients will be sent to the right service and avoid unnecessary visits to Emergency Departments.