Our UHD Awards are back and open for nominations. This is a chance to recognise and celebrate the incredible work you all do every day.

Click here to nominate.

Nominations close at 12noon on Friday 3 April after which they will be judged by a panel of staff representing a wide range of roles and responsibilities within Team UHD.

Anyone can nominate and anyone can be nominated. Use our judging criteria and nomination tips to help you.

Please remember, you can nominate your own team! You know better than anyone the challenges you’ve faced and the successes you’ve achieved. The UHD Awards are your opportunity to celebrate them. Please don’t feel restricted by your job role, you can nominate in any category you wish.

Award categories

• Caring
• One Team
• Listening to Understand
• Open and Honest
• Always Improving
• Leadership Award
• Volunteer of the Year
• Clinician of the Year
• Support Staff Member of the Year
• Above and Beyond
• Digital Improvement Award
• Partnership Award

There is also the Patient Choice Award, nominated by our patients and the Chair's Award, chosen by our Trust Chairman.

The winners will be announced at a special awards ceremony at the Pavilion in Bournemouth on Thursday 11 June, funded by our UHD Charity.  

Please share this information with your colleagues. You can also download our poster and email signature to help us spread the word.

If you have any questions, email the Communications Team at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Could you be part of our judging panel?

We are looking for 13 staff that represent a wide range of job roles and experience to be part of our judging panel. Our panel is split into two groups. We share the categories evenly between the two groups. Each judge is given a pack which contains all the nominations for their categories. They have two weeks to read and judge them against the judging criteria. Our panel will then meet in April to add up the total scores for each nomination. The four with the most points in each category are shortlisted and the top scorer wins.

Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to register your interest.

UHD Stakeholder Briefing: Changes at RBH ED – no impact on Poole emergency services

Sent on behalf of Dr Deborah Mayne, ED Consultant and UHD ED Clinical Director

Dear Colleague,

As part of the continued transformation of Royal Bournemouth Hospital (RBH), we're planning on making an important change to the location of the Emergency Department (ED), with no impact on Poole Hospital's emergency services.

Key Change – From 00:00 on 14 May 2025

• Subject to final approval, RBH's Emergency Department (including the UTC) will relocate to a new, purpose-built facility on the ground floor of the BEACH building, just 100 metres from its current location.
• Patients arriving on foot or by car should use the dedicated ED entrance at the front of the BEACH building.
• Ambulance crews will access new ambulance bays at the side of the building with direct access to Resus/ Rapid Assessment and Treatment (RATs) areas. This includes ambulance arrivals for maternity and critical care, who will use lifts to reach the correct floors.
• All other BEACH building services (e.g., maternity and critical care for walk-ins) will continue to use the main BEACH entrance.

Poole ED and UTC Remain Open as Usual

• Poole Hospital's ED and UTC are fully operational and will continue to receive patients.
• Poole remains the designated trauma unit.
• The care pathways for emergency and urgent care remain unchanged.
• UTCs at both RBH and Poole remain available for minor injuries and illnesses, helping direct patients to the right care, in the right place, at the right time.

Transition Period – Night of 13–14 May

• Both the current and new RBH EDs will operate overnight for patient transfers.
• Some ambulances may be temporarily diverted to Poole or Dorset County Hospital during peak demand.
• GP referrals and 111 services remain unchanged.

Further Information

You can find updates on this year’s changes supporting our emergency and planned care strategy at: www.uhd.nhs.uk. For any questions, please contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Thank you for your continued support as we improve services for patients and staff.

Dr Deborah Mayne

ED Consultant and UHD ED Clinical Director

Talk to us: Engagement and listening events

Senior leaders, including executive directors, are running a series of face-to-face, Teams and drop-in sessions with affected colleagues to share information and listen to views.

Dates

You can also leave any feedback here.

Developing our NHS-owned company - 2 September update

Last week Unison launched a ballot with its members for industrial action in relation to our proposal to develop an NHS-owned company to provide some services for Dorset County Hospital, Dorset HealthCare and University Hospitals Dorset.

While the concern some affected colleagues have expressed about this is completely understandable, we need to make sure we are really clear on the facts around this proposal. Our Chief Executives have recently written to all staff in affected services – estates, facilities management, medical engineering, procurement and sterile services – to restate some key commitments.

These are that:

• Everyone will remain on NHS pay, terms, and conditions, now and in the future. This applies to current and future staff. Colleagues in the company will get NHS sick pay.
• Everyone will have access to the NHS pension scheme, including keeping existing membership.
• The company will be 100% owned by the three NHS trusts – this is not outsourcing or privatisation.
• The contract between the trusts and the NHS company will be for 25 years rather than the usual 10, to provide a longer period of certainty. Nothing can be changed without the agreement of all three trust boards.

Talk to us: Senior leaders, including executive directors, are running a series of face-to-face, Teams and drop-in sessions with affected colleagues to share information and listen to views. These are detailed on this page and on our UHD app – please share with your teams.

We believe that bringing these services together into one company will enable us to share knowledge and best practice, improve training and career development, create more specialist roles and have a specialist leadership team. It will also allow us to use our combined buying power to make significant savings and to potentially supply new customers, like GP practices.

Update on work to develop a subsidiary company, 16 July 2025

Last week we received notification from UNISON of a trade dispute about the proposal to create the subsidiary company. This means that our three trusts must now start a resolution process in line with our policies for working with trades unions.

We have taken the decision to pause further work on the subsidiary company proposal for an initial period of four weeks (until Friday 8 August) so that we have the time and focus to do this. While the main work on the programme will temporarily stop it is important to be clear that we are not formally withdrawing the proposal.

We will keep colleagues informed as things progress.

If you have any questions or concerns in the meantime please raise them with your line manager or you can still use the ongoing Slido poll to share your views.

Siobhan Harrington
Chief Executive, UHD

Matthew Bryant
Chief Executive, DCH and DHC

Sent on behalf of Sarah Herbert, Chief Nursing Officer, University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust

New maternity, neonatal and emergency gynaecology unit opens at Royal Bournemouth Hospital this month

Dear colleague,

On 31 March 2025 at 8am, the new maternity and neonatal unit at the BEACH Building, Royal Bournemouth Hospital, will open.

From this time, all services will be delivered from this facility.

All emergency gynaecology and early pregnancy services will move to RBH. Anyone at any stage of pregnancy from the very first positive pregnancy test self-presenting with a suspected gynaecology issue should attend RBH and not Poole.

Until 31 March, maternity care will continue to be provided at St Mary's Maternity Unit at Poole Hospital.

Operational Changes from 31 March 2025

Maternity Services

• From 8:00am on 31 March 2025, SWASFT will be required to convey maternity patients to the BEACH Building at Royal Bournemouth Hospital (RBH).
• To facilitate a smooth transition, maternity services will double-run at both St Mary’s and RBH for 48 hours to maximize discharges from St Mary’s. However, some patients with medical complexities may still require SWASFT transfer between 31 March and 2 April.
• Any maternity patients self-presenting at Poole ED from 31 March may also require SWASFT transfer to RBH.

Emergency Gynaecology and Early Pregnancy Services

• All emergency gynaecology and early pregnancy services will move to RBH from Monday 31 March.
• Any patients with suspected gynaecological issues should attend RBH instead of Poole ED.

Emergency Gynaecology – Important Notes

• GPs – The referral process remains unchanged. Continue to contact the Gynaecology Registrar on call, but please advise patients they will need to go to RBH from 8:00 AM on 31 March, regardless of their postcode.
• 111 Service – Any patients advised to attend ED/UTC must be directed to RBH only from 8:00 AM on 31 March.
• SWASFT – Any suspected gynaecology cases should be brought to RBH from 8:00am on 31 March.
• Other stakeholders (including SARC) – All emergency gynaecology cases will move to RBH from 8:00am on 31 March.

Patient Transfers and Transition Plan

A small number of mothers and babies will require already arranged enhanced care transfer from St Mary's Maternity Unit to the BEACH Building as part of this transition. We are not anticipating emergency ambulance transfers will be required during the move period from St Mary's to the BEACH.

Every effort will be made to ensure a smooth and well-coordinated transfer, with no disruptions during labour. Those affected will receive full support and clear communication regarding their care plans.

This relocation represents a significant advancement in maternity services, ensuring that families benefit from a high standard of care in a purpose-built facility. The new maternity unit is part of a broader initiative to enhance emergency care at Royal Bournemouth Hospital, reducing patient transfers and improving healthcare outcomes across the region.

Additional updates and further information can be found via Born at the BEACH – Maternity Matters Dorset: The BEACH building – Maternity Matters Dorset.

Early Pregnancy Services – Contact Information

• GPs, Sexual Health Clinics, BPAS, Ultrasound Direct, Marie Stopes – For Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit (EPAU) queries, please call 0300 019 5713 from 31 March.
• SWAST – Patients in early pregnancy (13 weeks and 6 days or less) with potential pregnancy complications should be taken to RBH from 8:00 AM on 31 March.

Key Features of the New Maternity Unit

This state-of-the-art facility is designed to provide expecting parents with the highest quality of care and comfort throughout their journey from pregnancy to birth and beyond.

With cutting-edge equipment and a dedicated team, the new maternity and neonatal unit will be a welcoming environment where over 4,400 babies are expected to be born each year. Our focus remains on ensuring that parents-to-be and their families feel comfortable, safe, and well-supported during this crucial time.

• Enhanced facilities offering a modern and supportive environment for parents and newborns.
• Dedicated parking directly outside the BEACH Building for those in labour or requiring urgent care, with clear signposting for routine appointments.
• Provisions for a support person to remain throughout the duration of admission, enhancing the experience for families.

We look forward to welcoming expectant parents and families to this new chapter in maternity, neonatal and emergency gynaecology care.

If you have any questions or require further details, please do not hesitate to contact.

Thank you for your ongoing support in helping us provide exceptional care to families in our community.

Sarah Herbert

Chief Nursing Officer

University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust

EA Caroline Jeans 0300 019 4490 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.