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New way in to A&E as hospital build starts

Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Two ambulances parked up at the entrance to a hospital building with large glass doors to the right and a emergency department sign above.Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
The changes are in place while a new emergency department and critical care unit are being built

The way in to the accident and emergency department (A&E) at Dorset County Hospital is set to change as work starts on its new emergency department and critical care unit.

The change means people arriving at the Dorchester hospital's A&E on foot or by car will need to go in via the South Wing using Entrance 1.

Ambulances will use a new blue light vehicle-only access road off Damers Road around the building site to the existing A&E entrance.

The hospital said the changes will come in from 3 March. The new building is due to open in 2027.

Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust A computer illustration of the new emergency department and critical care unit to be built at Dorset County Hospital. Its a mostly red brick building over two floors with cars parked outside and a helipad on it's roof.Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
The new emergency department will include a specialist mental health unit, while 15 more beds will be created in the new critical care unit.

Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust said the change had been carefully planned with South Western Ambulance Trust.

It says its current emergency department sees twice the number of people it was designed for.

Whilst the number of critical care beds will go from 11 to 24.

Signs at the hospital site are being changed, and parking outside South Wing, Entrance 1 is being reconfigured to create drop-off spaces for the emergency department.

The hospital said chemotherapy bays and disabled parking bays would be unaffected.

The hospital on Williams Avenue, Dorchester has been given about £100m from the government's New Hospital Programme for the revamp.

The new facilities will be built on part of the site of the former Damers School building. It will include a new helipad and be linked to the existing hospital.

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