Dorset County Hospital awarded £2.4m for 'crucial maintenance'

Funding of £600 million has been distributed across the country

Author: George SharpePublished 12th Dec 2020

Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust will receive £2,434,000 to upgrade and refurbish its facilities.

The money has come from the Department of Health and Social Care, with 178 trusts getting funding to help the NHS "build back better".

This grant will help pay for five projects at Dorset County Hospital, and two other hospital trusts in the county will also benefit from the cash injection.

University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust has been awarded £2,783,000 for 27 projects.

Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust has also been given £1,082,000 for eight projects.

The projects are under way and will be completed by March 2021.

Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Matt Hancock said:

"Alongside delivering on our manifesto commitment to build 40 new hospitals and 20 major hospital upgrades across the country, this investment will help our NHS build back better.

"These crucial maintenance projects will deliver immediate benefits and provide NHS staff with the facilities they need to provide world-class care to their patients this winter, helping ensure the NHS is always there for you when you need it."

Meanwhile, South Western Ambulance Service are also set to benefit from some funding.

They're being given £925,000 for eight different projects.

The Trust are also now urging residents in Dorset to only call 999 for life-threatening emergencies.

A significant increase in call-outs is expected over the Christmas period, with 3,000 incidents a day predicted for the next month.

Specialist Paramedic Paul Kimberley has called on us to "make the right call":