Dorset County Hospital Fundraising
Dorset County Hospital is the main provider of acute hospital services to a population of around 300,000, living within Weymouth, Portland, West Dorset, North Dorset and Purbeck. With housing developments, a growing population, increased tourism and the COVID-19 pandemic, there has never been a higher demand for NHS services.
Emergency Department at Dorset County Hospital
The Emergency Department at Dorset County Hospital was built to accommodate 22,000 attendances, but in 2024/25, attendances were 52,871 – more than twice the amount it was originally built for. The Critical Care Unit is currently operating under significant constraints, with high demand and no capacity for future needs.
The largest investment in hospital facilities for West and North Dorset in 25 years
To increase capacity and help ensure its resilience for the future, Dorset County Hospital is currently building a new £100 million Emergency Department and Critical Care Unit. The main construction is funded from the Government’s New Hospital Programme.
This major development comprises a two-story building that will link to the existing hospital, including 24 critical care beds (currently 11), 47 Emergency Department spaces (currently 35), and a new rooftop helipad.
Enhanced extras to improve patient and staff experience
Dorset County Hospital Charity works with its valued supporters to raise vital funds above the NHS budget to help ensure our hospital is equipped to deliver the highest standards of care and wellbeing for its staff, patients and loved ones.
Funding Target £2.5 million
In our most ambitious appeal to date, we are working with our supporters to raise £2.5 million to fund important enhancements to the new departments, such as relatives’ accommodation for both units, a new patient winter garden for the Critical Care Unit, child and adolescent mental health facilities for the Emergency Department, and staff welfare facilities.
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