Working together under pressure

We are extremely busy across the trust, Poole is currently at OPEL 4 with RBH soon to follow, if no quick improvement. We all have a part to play in helping with hospital flow.

• Are your patients ready for discharge? Patients at RBH can use the departure lounge Full capacity policy and sitting out patients for discharge at Poole.
• Across sites can we identify patients who can sit out to release patients waiting in ED? Every ward that routinely admits patients from assessment units needs to ensure the first patient arrives on their ward before 10am to free up assessment unit capacity.
• Ward teams should be in regular communication with assessment units and site teams to pull patients through as beds become available.

Staffing remains very pressured so a huge thank you to everyone who is working tirelessly to support our patients and colleagues.

Wellbeing support is available to all of us. Please take a look on our dedicated intranet pages and share the information with your teams.

Join our all staff briefing tomorrow morning

Catch up with the latest news about our trust at the next all staff briefing with Siobhan Harrington. This takes place tomorrow (3 August) at 8.30-9am in the gym at Christchurch Hospital and on Teams – join here. You'll also receive a copy of the August edition of The Brief, including the cascade form to share the key messages with your teams.

Do you know who is on your ward?

Whenever you book a new staff member or agency worker on to a shift, it's essential that you:

• check their photo ID and compare it against the name of the booked worker
• raise any clinical issues/concerns around their competence immediately with a supervisor, and pass this to the temporary staffing team

RBH: Health of the ward update

From today (2 August) health of the ward will now include an automated TTA tracker, to help with the discharge process. This will replace the manual updates from the ward and pharmacy teams.

If you have any further questions relating to health of the ward, please contact Lisa Brinkman – IT specialist nurse at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Email domain update

Any emails sent to the old @rbch.nhs.uk or @xpoole.nhs.uk addresses will no longer be received. Please ensure any systems or contacts are updated now and email signatures have been updated to the @uhd.nhs.uk address.

RBH: No stoma care service

The team will be unable to provide an emergency or outpatient service until further notice.

Calling all veterans and reservists

Rob Hornby, our armed forces community advocate, is running a survey to establish how many reservists and veterans we have working at UHD to see how well we're doing recruiting from the armed forces community.

If you are a veteran or reservist, please take part in this one-minute survey. This can be done anonymously, with the option to leave your email address to find out more about our Armed Forces Support Group. If you have any questions please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Ward kitchen audit

After a short audit of ward kitchens, we found some kitchens to be unsecured with a number of non-standard items of cutlery and chemicals easily accessible to patients and visitors.

Please ensure all kitchens are reviewed as a matter of urgency and kitchen doors are kept closed and secure. If this is not possible and doors are on maglocks, keep any non-standard items locked away for the health and safety of our staff, patients and visitors.

If you have any concerns please contact the health and safety team This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Updates for bank staff

The trust's management group has now agreed new trust-wide medical locum rates.

We would like all doctors to join Locum's Nest to ensure all have access to locum shifts and to support our aim to phase out paper-based methods of recording and paying for extra-contractual activity. All Locum's Nest duties are paid through your bank contract so please make sure you have a valid bank assignment number.

If you would like to set up a bank contract please call ext. 4254 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to request internal bank registration forms. You will receive the API form and terms of engagement for medical bank doctors to complete and return signed. After receiving completed forms, medical bank will process them with payroll to create a bank assignment number. It can take up to 10 working days for your bank assignment to go live. A notification email will be sent once it's up and running.

Host accommodation needed for internationally recruited nurses

Dorset Healthcare is looking for three months accommodation from August for its international nurses who are joining Westhaven Hospital, Swanage Community Hospital, St Ann's Hospital and Shaftesbury Hospital.

Accommodation should be within easy walking distance or a short bus journey to the hospital (compatible with shift and weekend working). They pay £500 per month to hosts (inclusive of all bills) per furnished room. If you can help, or would like more information, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

On yer bike!

Cycling has many benefits, from improving health and fitness to increasing energy and positivity, not to mention reducing environmental pollution! We believe cycling is for everyone and it is never too late to start. As we celebrate Cycle to Work Day (6 August) why not take a look on the intranet at our cycle to work scheme and find out how you can be more active. Send your pictures of you on your bikes and let us know why you enjoy cycling to be shared on our social media channels at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Delays with local GPs

Due to delays with verified letters sent electronically to Ringwood and Cornerways GP surgeries, any urgent medication changes that the GP needs to action should be directly/manually emailed to the following addresses at the point of verifying the letter.

• Ringwood Medical Centre email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• Cornerways Medical Centre email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Yellow Buses update

Yellow Buses have unfortunately entered administration. We are informed that their services will be operating as normal until further notice, however we have been advised to suspend the issue of new discounted passes during this time.

Further updates are expected soon. Until then, please do show Yellow Buses your support by using their services as they've been a valued partner of UHD and the wider Dorset community for many years.

You can read a statement from Yellow Buses here.

Retiring from the NHS

NHS Pensions have planned events throughout the year to help you understand more about the pension scheme, Total Reward Statement, Annual Benefit Statement and ways to explore your retirement options. There will also be an opportunity to ask questions at the end of each session.

Click here to find out more.

POOLE: Business continuity incident in theatres

The cable providing power to the chillers in our theatres at Poole Hospital was replaced last night and all temperatures are back to normal. We are therefore standing down the business continuity incident.

Once again thank you to all staff involved, including our theatre admin staff and partner organisations.

Electronic Do Not Attempt Resuscitation / Allow a Natural Death (DNAR/AAND) forms

From the beginning of August, RBH and Christchurch are moving to electronic DNAR/AAND forms for doctor changeover, tying in with the system already in place at Poole.

The electronic forms have the major advantages of being legible, easily located at the top of the electronic patient record, will be visible on future clerking, could be duplicated if needed by multiple care agencies, are auditable and completion will be audited.

The forms are on EPR under ‘Create Documents > DNACPR or TEP' and a paper version, printed on red bordered paper, should be placed at the front of the notes. The paper can be ordered via Powergate.

When do I complete the form? Doctors - following a conversation with your patient and/or their representative, log into EPR, open the correct record for the patient and complete the form electronically, including details of the senior decision-maker and reason for decision.

You are encouraged to use the electronic Treatment Escalation Plan which should be completed for every patient, for each admission, and when clinical condition changes during admission. This is conveniently completed at the same time as the electronic AAND.

Will there be a printed version of the form? Yes, on red bordered paper to be placed at the front of the notes. The AAND/DNACPR form from the notes should be sent home with your patient when they are discharged. If the indefinite box has been ticked, the form will automatically be sent to SWAST, meaning that special messages need only be completed if additional information e.g. injectable medications in the home needs to be sent to SWAST.

Where do I get the red bordered paper? The paper can be ordered on Powergate. Please ensure you have a supply in place. Legacy paper forms remain valid during the transition period.

What about future admissions? For future admissions, it is good practice to re-confirm the patient's wishes. However a form completed previously and documented as "indefinite" can be used for subsequent admissions without being amended and should be printed on red bordered paper for the front of the current inpatient notes.

Share the news: Please pass this message on to all staff who may be affected by this change in your department. The induction for junior doctors will include this change.

Join our all staff briefing next Wednesday

Catch up with the latest news about our trust at the next all staff briefing with Siobhan Harrington. This takes place next Wednesday (3 August) at 8.30-9am in the gym at Christchurch Hospital and on Teams – join here. You'll also receive a copy of the August edition of The Brief, including the cascade form to share the key messages with your teams.

Mindfulness for Wellbeing

Join our UHD mindfulness sessions to help train your mind to be in the present moment though the practice of mindfulness techniques, such as mindful breathing, mindful movement and different types of meditation. When you practice being mindful, you practise accepting your present experience and are able recognise when your mind has wandered from the present, and learn to bring it bring back to what you want to focus on. For more information see our mindfulness intranet pages under M on the A-Z.

We have a range of taster sessions and eight week courses available for our staff over Zoom. Taster sessions have no limit on the number of attendees, so you are guaranteed a place on the date you choose. The dates below are the taster sessions we currently have available.

• Monday 22 August 1-2.30pm, Friday 9 September 1-2.30pm and 5 December 3.30-5pm

To book a place simply email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with the date you wish to attend.

8-week courses

The 8-week courses are limited to 15 places per course. If you are unable to get a place on the course of your choice, we will provide information on alternative courses that may be attended. The dates below are the courses we currently have available and both courses include a break for half-term.

• September-21 November every Monday from 1-2.30pm
• January-13 March every Monday from 3.30-5pm

To register for an 8-week course, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and let us know the date you would like to attend. We will reply with further information, including links to complete the required course evaluation measures and personal information form.

New virtual clinic pods available

Four new virtual consulting pods are now available in the Dorset Cancer Centre at Poole Hospital. The pods are initially earmarked for cancer care, and provide an additional soundproof space for virtual clinics to be run, making our in-demand consultation rooms readily available for face-to-face clinics.

There are two virtual consulting pods positioned on the cancer care management floor and two on the top floor of the LINAC. All you will need to do is bring your laptop, open Attend Anywhere or the softphone, and carry out your clinic. Power points and fans are available in each pod. Please note that there will be no telephone, computer or monitors in the pods, so contact Billy Stewart, operational manager for cancer care, if you require Softphone to be installed on your device.

The pods are available for bookings on the Bookwise clinical room booking system, in addition to five recently added virtual consulting pods in Poole's main outpatients department, also available on Bookwise.

These have been installed as part of our digital outpatient transformation programme - to find out more go to the outpatients pages of the intranet.

It's time for TikTok...

"Teenagers in Britain are increasingly turning to social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok and YouTube for news, and are moving away from traditional outlets..."

That's the latest update from media regulator Ofcom in a report published last month. Its findings outlined how a range of age groups consumed news differently and showed for the first time that Instagram was the most popular news source among teens, with TikTok following fast behind.

At UHD we're committed to communicating as openly and honestly as we can via social media, and we're proud of our well-established networks. With that in mind, and a timely announcement given Ofcom's latest report, we're pleased to reveal that we're expanding our social media portfolio and have launched our official TikTok channel!

Be sure to go and give us a follow, and if you or your team would like to get involved with TikTok or any of our other social media channels, get in touch with us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. – we'd love to hear from you!

Reminder for social media

It is important we uphold our trust values when online. On our own personal social media accounts, remember to use common sense when determining whether something is appropriate when engaging online. If discussing work-related issues, you should not discuss patients or complaints about colleagues. Even when anonymised, these are likely to be inappropriate.

If you are discussing trust matters, ensure you aren't sharing confidential information. If in doubt, check first either with your line manager or with the communications team. When posting, be clear that you are not speaking on behalf of the organisation and be aware of how comments and images online can impact on your professional standing.

Please familiarise yourself with our social media policy.

Don't miss your chance to have your say in our July People Pulse survey

You have until the end of this week (31 July) to make your voice heard in our July People Pulse survey!

When you take part in our NHS People Pulse and National NHS Staff Survey, you help to make a real difference across our hospitals, influencing positive change and making your voice heard. Your views lead to projects across our hospitals to improve health and wellbeing, such as improvements to staff rest areas, and our partnership for subsidised gym memberships with Bournemouth Heart Club.

Take five minutes to share your views in the July People Pulse Survey, so we can continue making changes that matter to you.

Get involved with the Beyond Difference Leadership Development Programme

The Beyond Difference programme is run by Dorset ICS with the aim to develop new and aspiring leaders from ethnically diverse backgrounds. The programme recognises the inequalities and structural barriers that have prevented ethnically diverse staff from progressing their careers and will provide tools and techniques to help them overcome these to achieve their career aspirations.

The programme is open to all ethnically diverse staff, including white and non-white European who are in a new line manager/supervisor/team leader role or those preparing to step up into such a role in the very near future. The core programme includes seven five-hour workshops with half a day of study time for each workshop. The workshops run from September 2022-January 2023. Click here to fill out the form to express your interest. If you have any questions please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Menopause support

Our next menopause listening event will take place on 25 August from 12-1pm via Teams. This is an informal, peer led, confidential opportunity to share discussions relating to perimenopause and menopause. Join the meeting here.

In addition, the Our Dorset Wellbeing Service has a number of forthcoming menopause events. Find out more here.

Watch the film before your resus refresher training

Refresher resuscitation training has changed and you must watch a 45 minute video and pass the online MCQ assessment to complete your training.

The two hour session on basic life support (level 2 resus) training is now split into two elements; eLearning and a 30 minute face to face practical session. Training has not changed at Poole or for new trust inductions and all sessions can be booked via ESR.

RBH: Parking onsite out of hours

Please do not park in the on-call consultant car park if you do not have the appropriate permit. This can make it difficult for staff who need to park urgently to administer urgent care to our patients.

Changes to clinical and medical essential core skills update (ECS) training

If you have booked to attend the ECS update in the RBH lecture theatre, please note sessions will now start at 1.30pm on 9 August, 21 September, 24 October, 15 November and 14 December.

Sessions will cover infection control from 1.30-1.45pm and bloods from 1.45-2.25pm. The Mental Capacity Act, (MCA) module within the session has been removed, but you will still be able to complete this training on the VLE.

Become the clinical lead for the Dorset Innovation Hub

The Dorset Innovation Hub (DIH) is looking for a clinician (nursing, medical, midwifery or allied health professional) to help champion the strategy and work of the DIH and be an advocate for healthcare innovation adoption across Dorset.

This is a coordinating role requiring good communication and facilitation skills, working with the hub programme group, hub lead and all partner organisations to support the realisation of DIH strategy and prioritised healthcare innovation adoption projects.

More information and application details are available here. Deadline date for expressions of interest is 23 September.

Any queries, please contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Visit from UNISON

Unison will be between the restaurants at RBH today (26 July) from 11.30am-2pm. They will also be at Poole in the Dome this Thursday (28 July) from 11.30am-2pm.

Come along and find out more about membership and current campaigns. UNISON will also be seeking members' views on challenging the NHS pay deal that has just been announced.

Cakes for charity

Head down to the main atrium in RBH this Thursday (28 July) from 11am-2pm and get your hands on some delicious cakes for a good cause. Claire Stuckey is running the London Marathon in October for University Hospitals Dorset NHS Charity and will be selling cakes and goodies by the Lavazza cafe to help her reach her fundraising target.

If you're not able to make it on Thursday but would still like to show Claire some support for this amazing challenge, you can sponsor her here.

August offers from our local gyms

The Village Gym opposite RBH and Anytime Fitness close to Poole Hospital have offered us one free day pass each to try out their facilities in August.

To book your free one day pass at The Village, call 01202 416123 or to book your session at Anytime Fitness call 01202 835970.

Discounted tickets from the Lighthouse Poole

Coastal Comedy and Lighthouse are hosting a triple bill of stand-up comedy, featuring Seann Walsh and some of the best acts on the circuit all in one night. To receive £5 off tickets, at booking enter the code Colossal22. Get your tickets here.

South West Rail strikes this Wednesday (27 July)

Due to a planned national strike, South West Rail is urging customers only to travel by rail if absolutely necessary on Wednesday (27 July). The service will resume as normal on Thursday (28 July). Please check the South West Rail website for updates and to find out how your commute may be affected.

ED attendances: Setting a good example

There has been an increase in the number of staff coming to our ED as a default rather than for attending for an emergency. We have had instances of staff attending when they should have contacted their GP or accessed a UTC appointment. Some are leaving their workplace to be checked in and wanting to return to their work awaiting their review.

Please remember, if you need to attend ED, you will be processed in the same way as a member of the public and must stay in the department while waiting to be seen. With our emergency departments so busy, the teams are working incredibly hard to see the most poorly patients first.

Hold your clinic at Beales

There are 16 large generic clinic rooms available at our Outpatient Assessment Clinic (OAC) in Beales, Poole to assist teams in reducing waiting lists. The clinic also has volunteers on site to provide patients with a person-centred journey. For a video tour of the clinic, click here, and to find out more, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Car parking tickets at Littledown

BH Live, the operator of the Littledown site, have informed us that they will be cancelling the parking charge notices which were issued to permit holders recently, and have apologised for this error. If you are a valid permit holder and parked within the hospital-leased section of the Littledown car park but received a ticket, this will be rescinded. We are advised that this process will be taking place over the next couple of weeks.

To ensure that you do not incur any charges in the future, it is recommended that you submit an appeal as stated on the ticket to Horizon (BH Live's car parking enforcement contractor) and that you undertake the following checks:

• check that you hold a parking permit which enables you to park at Littledown
• your permit is in date
• your permit applies to the vehicle you're driving (you can register multiple vehicles on your permit)
• you are parked within the correct UHD-leased areas of the Littledown car park.

Please remember that we only lease these spaces and the owners have their own rules around managing the site.

If your current permit is expiring and you need to apply for a new one, or you think you need to update your records, you can do so here.

Join our all staff briefing next Wednesday

Catch up with the latest news about our trust at the next all staff briefing with Siobhan Harrington. This takes place next Wednesday (3 August) at 8.30-9am in the gym at Christchurch Hospital and on Teams – join here. You'll also receive a copy of the August edition of The Brief, including the cascade form to share the key messages with your teams.

RBCH: Cause for Concern update

The adult Cause for Concern referral process at RBH and Christchurch has changed. This is now in line with Poole site. Please check here for the latest version of the referral flow chart.

If you have any questions contact Helen Beaulieu on ext. 4580 and Teresa Izzo on ext. 2619.

RBH: palliative care team no cover on this Saturday

Please note that due to unforeseen circumstances there will be no RBH hospital palliative care cover on Saturday (30 July).

For urgent concerns, 24 hour advice is available from the Macmillan Unit, please call ext. 5470 option 1 between the hours of 8am-5pm and option 3 between the hours of 5pm to 8am.

For non-urgent queries, please leave a message on ext. 6021 and a staff member will pick these up on Sunday (31 July).

Celebrate South Asian Heritage Month

South Asian Heritage Month is celebrating its third year and focusing on the theme of 'Journeys of Empire'. South Asian influences can be found everywhere in the UK, from food and clothes to music and even words.

Join us for coffee and chai on 9 August at Poole from 11.30am-12.30pm outside the Dolphin Restaurant or celebrate at RBH on 11 August, 12-1pm, in the marquee.

If you cannot make our in-person events, log on and share your stories on 17 August with a virtual event from 11.30am-12.30pm here.

Last chance to have your say in our July People Pulse survey

You have until Sunday (31 July) to make your voice heard in our July People Pulse survey!

Raise your voice, influence positive change and make your voice heard. Your views lead to projects across our hospitals to improve all of our health and wellbeing, and make UHD a better place to work.

Take five minutes to share your views in the July People Pulse Survey, so we can continue making changes that matter to you.

Locum's Nest app

From 1 August all future shifts for booking medical staff need to be advertised in alignment with the designated rates. These should adhere to the defined escalation process available on the Locum's Nest app, and other electronic platforms.

All doctors should join Locum's Nest for access to shifts and to support our aim to phase out paper-based methods of recording and paying for extra-contractual activity.

Locum's Nest will continue to support the process of joining as well as to offer additional training. Download the Locum's Nest app here for IOS and here for android.

Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to support the onboarding of payroll or contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Don't forget to complete your National Audit of Care at the End of Life (NACEL) survey

If part of your job involves caring for, or coming into contact with patients approaching end of their life, we want your views for the NACEL survey. Your opinion matters. Please take a minute to complete the survey so we can listen to you, celebrate the outstanding care you already provide, and learn how to improve this important part of our service.

RBCH: click here to submit your survey

Poole: click here to submit your survey

New paracetamol toxicity management guideline (SNAP)

The standard 21 hours acetylcysteine policy for managing paracetamol policy has now been replaced with SNAP (12 hours policy). This should result in fewer adverse effects, shorter duration of administration and improve patient flow. You can read the latest version on the medicines pages of the intranet.

Change to immunology allergy reports

The table for allergy class reactions for all allergens has now been removed from immunology allergy reports. The report will continue to highlight results ≥0.35KUA/L.

The allergen class table can be found in the immunology> allergy reference ranges section here.

Please contact immunology if you have any further enquires.

POOLE: New electronic referral form for outpatients

For all ward clerks based at Poole, there is a new electronic request form for booking outpatient follow ups. To access the form you need to open the Eforms page on the intranet. The username and password is the same as your PC. From here you complete the information relating to the appointment needed.

Free staff bike maintenance

Dave from Bike Fixed is available for a free bike tune up at RBH on 10 August and Poole on 11 August. He will be available from 9am-4pm.

If you suspect your bike may need replacement parts, Dave may be able to supply these but they will incur a charge. If Dave spots something which may need to be replaced, he'll advise you about this at the time of the service.

A limited number of appointments are available on each date. If you'd like to book your bike in, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and include a mobile/office contact number in case the mechanic needs to contact you.

Discounted staff tickets for Walk for Wards 2022

Walk for Wards returns on 17 September. Join us at Upton Country Park and walk 3km, 5km or 10km along our wheelchair friendly routes to raise money for a ward or department close to your heart.

From 1 August we're offering discounted tickets to all staff – just choose 'Staff Discount' as your ticket option and sign up using your uhd.nhs email address.

This year's event will feature live music from The Late Shift, a mini-makers market, and refreshments from Rapid Relief UK who will be on hand to provide a delicious free burger meal to every participant.

Sign up here.

Educational webinars for NHS staff for 24 hours

Featuring topics such as career planning, coaching skills and interview skills, sign up for 24 hours of webinars from NHS Elect. Drop in and out of the sessions, in aid of cancer charities. Find out more here.

Book your appraisal

As summer holidays approach, we encourage you to get your appraisal booked in with your manager to allow for dedicated time to sit down together and reflect on your achievements over the past year, while also looking forward to the next 12 months.

We appreciate that it is incredibly busy, and, as our CEO Siobhan Harrington recognised in last week's ‘Ask Aly', it may feel counter-intuitive to take some time out of your role for your appraisal but now more than evet it's important to be checking in with each other, investing an hour in ourselves and discussing how we are feeling about our role in #TeamUHD.

If you are yet to do so, please do speak to your manager to find time for your appraisal.

Join the gym at Bournemouth Heart Club (BHC)

We're working with BHC to offer you subsidised memberships for the on-site gym at RBH to help you stay active around your working hours. The friendly team at BHC will help you hit your exercise goals, have fun and make sure your workout is right for you.

The cost is £50 for 20 sessions, with UHD subsiding the additional £50 cost. Membership includes a pre- and post-health assessment, exercise classes, a personal exercise programme and open gym sessions.

Please visit the Be Active intranet pages for further information to sign up, class timetables and FAQs.

Patient data loss

We have received notification that a significant number of radiology images, from a six month period in 2019, are unable to be viewed on our system. This issue occurred recently and we are working with our partners to confirm the numbers, the cause and also provide assurance that this has been rectified to prevent any future data loss.

We will share further information once we have more details - early indications are that adverse implications for our patients are low.

Are you unable to access Employee Online?

After a recent update, some people may be struggling to access their Employee Online and will be receiving ‘error' messaging. To fix this, clear the cache on your device or browser. You can find out how to do this here.

For any other Employee Online issues, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

RBH: Lavender Garden closure today

Please could the Lavender Garden be avoided for staff breaks between 11-12.30pm today (22 July) due to an event.

Reduced DAIRS service this weekend

DAIRS are unable to carry out ward patient reviews or home visits from 23-24 July.

A telephone only service will be offered to patients already at home on supported discharge, but no home visits will be carried out. Voicemails for ext. 6122 will be regularly monitored.

No alcohol liaison service today and this weekend

There is no alcohol liaison service today or over the weekend (22-24 July).

Service will resume on Monday (25 July), if you need any information or guidance please visit the intranet.

Changes to clinical and medical essential core skills update (ECS) training

If you have booked to attend the ECS update in the RBH lecture theatre, please note sessions will now start at 1pm on 9 August, 21 September, 24 October, 15 November and 14 December.

Sessions will cover infection control from 1.30-1.45pm and bloods from 1.45-2.25pm. The Mental Capacity Act, (MCA) module within the session has been removed, but you will still be able to complete this training on the VLE.

RNLI Blue Light Day this Sunday

Come down to Mudeford Quay on Sunday (24 July) to meet our search and rescue friends and catch up with our UHD governors.

Attendees include the RNLI, HM Coastguard, National Coastwatch (Hengistbury Head), British Red Cross, Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance, Wessex Blood Bikes, Dorset Search and Rescue to name a few.

Spinal MSK service change

The spinal MSK service no longer sits under rheumatology at UHD and is now with Dorset Healthcare. The service still runs from our Christchurch and Poole sites but will now also include clinics at the AECC Chiropractor College and Shelley Road Surgery.

Any internal referrals now should be sent to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Delirium on EPR

All staff are now able to complete a 4AT (rapid clinical test for delirium) on EPR.

Medicine fridges in hot weather

Please do not store any food or drink items in the pharmaceutical drugs fridges. This can affect the fridge's performance for airflow, cause temperature spikes and cause a loss of medication as a result.

End of life newsletter

Keep up to date with the latest news, events and information around end of life care in the quarterly newsletter from our end of life care teams.

View the latest edition of the newsletter here.

Take on 13.1 miles of fun for Team UHD

Take part in London's Big Half marathon for our hospital charity. The event promises to bring an unmissable festival atmosphere to the streets of London on 4 September starting at Tower Bridge and finishing at the famous Cutty Sark in Greenwich.

It's the perfect challenge for runners or walkers who want to soak up the atmosphere of a marathon in our capital city but don't want to take on the full 26.2 miles. Sign up here.

South West Rail strikes next Wednesday (27 July)

Due to a planned national strike, South West Rail is urging customers only to travel by rail if absolutely necessary on Wednesday (27 July). The service will resume as normal on Thursday (28 July).

Please check the South West Rail website for updates and to find out how your commute may be affected.