1. Consultation
Dorset
Mine.
Yours.
Ours.
Get
the
facts

2. Demographics
The number of people living in Dorset is growing. Our population is set to rise by around 50,000 by Of these, 70% will be over 70.
Fewer of us are suffering heart attacks, strokes or major accidents, and if we do, we’re more likely to survive. This is great news! At the same time, with more people living longer and developing more long-term conditions (like diabetes and dementia), there’s an increase in demand for, and added pressure on, our health and social care services.

3. Future finances
The amount of money we have to spend on healthcare is increasing, but both the demand for, and the cost of providing services is increasing faster.
We need to spend our funds efficiently to maintain our currently high standards of care. We want the biggest health gain for local people from every pound we spend.
If we don’t change the way we work, we run the risk of being underfunded by around £158 million a year by 2020.

4. Workforce
Over 30,000 people are employed in health and social care in Dorset, but we face challenges recruiting GPs, mental health nurses and emergency medical consultants.
This shortage of staff could affect the way services are delivered in the future.

5. Variation in quality of care
We need to ensure that everyone in Dorset receives the same standard of care, wherever they live, and whichever health and care services they need.
For example, the maximum waiting time for a first outpatient appointment for a patient whose GP thinks they may have cancer is two weeks. In 2014/15, we failed to meet this national standard.

6. About the CSR
In response to these challenges, at the end of 2014, NHS Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) launched a Clinical Services Review (CSR) to look at the future health and care needs of the people of Dorset and plan how best to meet them. This was done by working closely with local people, clinicians and service providers.
This process led to the development of proposals for future delivery of health and care services in Dorset. ? ? ? ?

7. What we’re consulting on
Proposals for acute hospital reconfiguration and integrated community service models were approved by the CCG’s Governing Body in May and July These were subject to a rigorous external assurance process. The proposals have been independently scrutinised to make sure they’re in line with best clinical practice, financially sound, and fit for the future.
Find out more at:

8. About mental health
There will be a separate consultation on acute mental health services, which will run early next year. It will look at how services could be organised differently to better meet patient needs, and is likely to propose new ways of meeting the needs of people with serious mental illness.

9. Engagement
During consultation, we want to hear from as many people as possible, whether they agree or disagree with our proposals. Reading the consultation document and filling out the questionnaire is just one way to take part.
There will be many live events across the county which people can attend, learn more and have their say. A full list of dates for these events is available on

10. Check out the proposals for the future of our NHS.
Our proposals
Check out the proposals for the future of our NHS.

11. Dorset’s three main hospitals provide a lot of the same services, but
facilities are stretched.
Evidence shows more lives are saved when people are treated in
specialist centres with distinct roles. We’re proposing...
A major emergency
hospital
(our preference is Royal Bournemouth Hospital)
Dorset County Hospital would remain pretty much unchanged, providing care to the west of the county
A major
planned hospital
(our preference is
Poole Hospital)

12. A major emergency hospital would have:
24/7 A&E and emergency surgery, treatment for high-risk planned care and maternity.
24/7 overnight services for children
A major planned hospital would have:
24/7 urgent care centre, planned day case surgery (such as hip replacements), outpatients and tests and scans.
Outpatients and therapies for children

13. Transport
Poole Hospital’s location makes it easier to get to by public transport, which is good for planned appointments (day surgery, outpatient tests and scans).
Bournemouth Hospital’s location means it is accessible by blue light ambulance to 95% of the population within half an hour.
We know transport is vital to access NHS services. With this in mind, we are talking with local authority and voluntary sector partners to explore the best options for local people.

14. Integrated Community Services (ICS)
ICS is the bringing together of multidisciplinary teams including GPs, nurses, therapists, social workers and volunteers to provide services and care built around patients, providing more care within the community. These teams will be based at what we call community hubs. Find out more on
We’re proposing:
Community hubs with beds
(Blandford Hospital, Bridport Hospital, Poole Hospital, Sherborne Hospital, Swanage Hospital, Weymouth Hospital, Wimborne Hospital)
Community hubs without beds
(Christchurch, Dorset County Hospital, Portland, Shaftesbury, Wareham)
Possible closures of existing sites
(Alderney*, St Leonards, Westhaven**)
*Subject to a separate review of dementia services
**Subject to a separate consultation on acute mental health services

15. Longer opening hours, seven days a week
This could mean:
100,000 more outpatient appointments moved from hospitals to within the community
10,000 more people being kept out of urgent care, making services available for people who really need them
An increase in beds across the county, rebalanced between east and west Dorset
Longer opening hours, seven days a week

16. Freepost SS1018, PO Box 530, Swansea, SA1 1ZL
Key facts
No decisions will be made until after the public consultation
This will run from 1 December February 2017
A list of where to pick up a consultation document and questionnaire is available online at or by calling
Questionnaires must be returned to the following freepost address by Tuesday 28 February 2017:
Freepost SS1018, PO Box 530, Swansea, SA1 1ZL

17. Please encourage your friends and family to fill in the questionnaire (either written, online or Easy Read), which has been designed to make sure that everyone’s views can be fully considered before any decisions are made.