The Friends are currently working closely with Dorset HealthCare Trust (the NHS Trust which manages the hospital) on plans to re-model some aspects of the Outpatients Department. This includes changes to the X-ray Department and providing additional space for the Minor Injuries Unit with extensive improvements to the Physiotherapy Department.
Work on improving the X-ray Department was completed in the spring of 2023.
In the autumn of 2023 it is hoped that work will start on the other elements seen above. The Physiotherapy Department and the Minor Injuries Unit are both in line for significant upgrades, although the sequencing and details of the projects still need to be finalised. The Friends intend to fund the whole of these two projects.
Separately, the Friends are actively pursuing their goal of securing the land adjacent to the hospital, vacated by the Football Club and earmarked for hospital use. Current plans are to use it to enlarge the car parking available, and it is important to secure this land for the hospital’s use in the long-term future.
