Transforming Poole Hospital
Bringing together planned care on the Poole Hospital site will provide rapid treatment of elective operations. These are without the disruption or delay that can occur from high volumes of emergency cases having to take precedence. Thousands of patients each year will benefit from shorter waiting times.
State-of-the-art theatre complex
An extension to the existing hospital site comprising of a purpose-built five storey tower. Opened by patient Julie Hills in July 2023, it incorporates a four-table ‘barn’ theatre, where the main surgical area is large and open-plan. This is one of the first facilities in the UK, with each patient treated in a dedicated space with an ultraclean air canopy over each station. The completion of this project will see major investment at Poole with:
- 6,000 planned care patients seeing shorter waiting times
- 10 new state-of-the-art operating theatres
- major refurbishment of wards and facilities to create improved surgical ‘flow’
- wider range of surgical procedures available, including a surgical robot and Enhanced Post Operative Care (EPOC)
Separating planned and emergency care means there will be shorter wait times and fewer cancellations for planned procedures
Dr Isabel Smith, consultant anaesthetist and medical director for strategy and transformation
Urgent Treatment Centre (24/7)
The Urgent Treatment Centre will remain on the Poole site and will continue to provide timely access to urgent care for patients with minor injuries or minor illness. This will ease the pressure on the Emergency Department at the Royal Bournemouth, freeing up the team there to treat the more unwell patients, most of whom will arrive by ambulance. The Poole UTC will be:
Our teams will be on hand to offer medical help when it’s not a lifethreatening emergency, allowing everyone to receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time
Dr David Broadley, medical director for integrated care
Expanding our endoscopy service
Endoscopy allows diagnosis and treatment using tubes with cameras, allowing early detection of cancers and other diseases. The new facility will house six procedure rooms with the opportunity for future expansion as a training centre. The £21m development is central to Dorset’s long-term vision for the Community Diagnostic Centres Programme (CDC), providing a ‘hub and spoke’ model for elective diagnostics
It’s really exciting to look forward to our new centre which will enable us to see and treat more people, reduce waiting times, improve people’s experiences and train the next generation of endoscopy staff for Dorset
Dr Suranga Dharmasiri, consultant gastroenterologist and the Dorset lead for endoscopy
Cancer care services
Cancer outpatient services will continue to run from Poole Hospital. There will still be oncology and haematology outpatient clinics and chemotherapy clinics running as they do now. The radiotherapy department is also remaining at the Poole site and Robert White Centre at Dorset County Hospital with linear accelerators used for cancer treatments. The department will continue to be providing the full range of radiotherapy and brachytherapy planning and treatments as it does currently.
Key worker housing
With the maternity services moving into the BEACH in Royal Bournemouth Hospital, there is potential to convert the St Mary’s site into key worker housing, improving support to new staff and staff from overseas coming to work in the local NHS. Developing this site to meet the need for housing for NHS staff is an excellent opportunity to attract and retain staff. We will also look to expand key worker housing on other sites, including at RBH, so staff can walk to work.
Clinical and rehabilitation services
Poole Hospital will also offer a diverse range of surgical specialties, including orthopaedics, urology, breast, including lower gastro-intestinal and dermatology procedures. Specialist rehabilitation will also be centred at Poole.
Treatment Investigation Unit (TIU)
All TIU services at UHD are being centralised at Poole Hospital. This strategic move is part of our commitment to enhancing services and optimising patient care. Consolidating our TIU services at Poole Hospital is designed to streamline access to care - with the entire TIU team available to support patients seamlessly throughout their treatment
Endoscopy
Endoscopy services will continue to run at both Poole Hospital and the Royal Bournemouth Hospital site, as they do at present.
Gynaecology
A £1m investment programme has provided a complete renovation of our harbourside ambulatory gynaecology centre. This dedicated unit affords expert gynaecology services in a purpose-built centre, providing patients with faster access to treatment and an improved experience.
Other services on site
Poole’s front entrance area continues to provide better space for patients, visitors and staff, including a patient information area and Changing Places toilet - helping people with limited mobility to use the toilet comfortably or get changed privately.
