Major endoscopy centre construction to begin at Poole Hospital 

Exciting plans are now underway to expand University Hospitals Dorset’s (UHD) endoscopy services at Poole Hospital with the creation of a new, state-of-the-art centre. This marks a significant milestone in Poole Hospital’s development as major planned care hospital for the region.

Constructed using the latest modular technology, the unit will be constructed on the current Parkview House site, featuring six procedure rooms with the potential for future expansion as a training centre. A training room and seminar room have been incorporated into the ground floor plans already.

Dr. Suranga Dharmasiri, UHD consultant gastroenterologist and the Dorset Integrated Care System (ICS) lead for endoscopy, shared his enthusiasm for the project:

"As we enter the construction phase, we’re excited to see our vision come to life.

“The new centre will enable us to treat more patients, reduce waiting times, enhance patient experiences, and train the next generation of endoscopy professionals in Dorset."

The £21 million development is a cornerstone of Dorset ICS’s long-term vision for the Community Diagnostic Centres programme, following a 'hub and spoke' model to improve elective diagnostics.

The Hub has been designed by P+HS Architects in collaboration with Premier Modular and will significantly reduce on-site disruption once construction begins. Thanks to the use of off-site modular construction methods, hospital operations will be minimally affected during the build.

Premier Modular and P+HS Architects are key partners in this project, which is tailored to the unique character of Poole Hospital’s site. The design carefully balances therapeutic and practical needs, incorporating efficient clinical patient flows within a welcoming, human-scaled environment.

A comprehensive public consultation process, including input from local residents and special interest groups, helped shape the building’s layout and design. The result is a calming, nature-connected space that offers patients and staff framed views of the surrounding landscape, promoting a sense of wellbeing.

Demolition is scheduled to begin in November, with the project expected to be completed by Autumn 2025.

BU-UHD Leadership Conference looks at innovation and best practice to inspire improvement

UHD and Bournemouth University recently co-delivered a leadership conference designed to inspire NHS and university leaders through innovation and equality. The event focused on leadership and the role leaders can play in driving improvement. The two organisations were joined by several partners from across the region, with plenty of opportunities to network and build connections throughout the day.

The event was opened by BU’s new vice-chancellor Professor Alison Honour, alongside Robert Whiteman CBE, chairman of UHD, and Siobhan Harrington, CEO of UHD.

Sessions included keynotes on leading for improvement by Wendy Korthuis-Smith of the Virginia Mason Institute, with Neil Griffin, associate director of improvement at University Hospital Coventry & Warwickshire NHS Trust providing examples of how improvements in his trust were made through a long-term focus on people and culture to drive success.

Professor Habib Naqvi MBE, director of the NHS Race and Health Observatory, led a discussion on racial inequalities in health and the ways in which inclusive leaders can challenge these inequalities through being comfortable with addressing the uncomfortable in the work they do.

An eye-opening presentation on artificial intelligence was given by Ajay Chowdhury, senior advisor at Boston Consulting Group, looking at the fast-paced technological change and the need for leaders to balance opportunities for innovation with ethical governance in their own contexts.

Paul Chandler, head of net zero travel and transport, Greener NHS, and talked to leaders about climate change, and specifically the responsibility that leaders, particularly in healthcare, have towards driving innovation in sustainability.

Timo Peach, climate futures artist at Momo Tempo, finished the day with a focus towards the future, helping attendees to think about what excites them in their work, the power of storytelling, the privilege of leading people and how we must all work together across organisations, teams and departments, utilising the best of the specialist knowledge across organisations, to collectively deliver success. Timo also linked leadership to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) as a driver for delivering change.

Professor Lois Farquharson, executive dean of the Business School and chair of the BU-UHD Partnership Steering Group, said, “As leaders, it is important to take time away to think and strategize about these important issues we’ve been looking at today. Meaningful changes in health inequalities and climate change will only happen when leaders are mindful about how their own actions can help support change.

The two organisations have worked in official partnership for over three years, sharing knowledge and best practice across both organisations for the benefit of staff, students, patients and the local community, with further collaborative events planned to continue in this work.

For more information about the partnership, click here

Young boy raises £3,000 to weave hope for epilepsy care

A young boy from Poole, who learned to knit as a way of unravelling the challenges of living with epilepsy, has stitched together an incredible £3,000 to support the University Hospitals Dorset NHS team that helped him manage his condition.

In August 2023, Joshie Cadbury and his family were crossing the ferry from Calais to Switzerland when Joshie suddenly became unwell. After a few nights in Calais Hospital, the family continued their holiday, and it was later confirmed that Joshie had epilepsy upon their return to the UK.

During this time on holiday, Joshie – then 11 years old – began knitting to aid his recovery as he was told to take it easy and limit screentime.

What started as a therapeutic hobby quickly became a passion, and Joshie decided to cast on a fundraising effort to support University Hospitals Dorset NHS Charity's epilepsy fund.

Joshie's hand-crafted items didn't just raise funds for University Hospitals Dorset NHS Charity, he knit the community together to support a great cause.

Joshie and his family

Joshie said: “I have loved getting into knitting more since being diagnosed with epilepsy, and it has helped me so much. It has turned a tough situation into a more positive one. It’s been so great to raise money for University Hospitals Dorset NHS Charity and help others with epilepsy. I couldn’t have done it without the help from my family and friends and am so grateful for everyone’s support.”

University Hospitals Dorset NHS Charity public fundraising officer, Amy Beauchamp, said: "We’re absolutely delighted by Joshie's incredible donation and generosity. His £3,000 donation will help us enhance the care provided by the epilepsy team at University Hospitals Dorset and weave hope into the lives of people living with epilepsy. He's truly crafted a more positive future for so many."

The £3,000 raised by Joshie for University Hospitals Dorset NHS Charity will go directly towards transforming care and resources for people living with epilepsy receiving treatment at our local hospitals. From purchasing new state-of-the-art equipment to enhancing facilities, this seamless act of kindness will have a lasting impact on University Hospitals Dorset.

If Joshie's story inspires you, you don't have to sit on pins and needles – get involved today! Whether donating, fundraising or simply spreading the word, you can help University Hospitals Dorset NHS Charity create a stronger future for those facing epilepsy and your local hospitals.

For more information and ways to get involved, visit University Hospitals Dorset NHS Charity's website: www.UHDcharity.org. 

Joshie raised an impressive £3,000

Appointment of chief digital officer for UHD 

Beverley Bryant has been appointed chief digital officer for University Hospitals Dorset to lead our digital strategy. She joins us from Guy’s and St Thomas’s NHS Trust and Kings College Hospitals NHS Trust where she was joint chief digital information officer. Beverley led the major transformation of all clinical applications and workflows to bring IT systems together across the trusts. As part of her role at UHD, she will take our executive lead for the creation of the new electronic health record (EHR) in partnership with trusts and both Integrated Care Boards across Dorset and Somerset.

Siobhan Harrington, our CEO said: “I am very pleased that Beverley is joining us at UHD at this exciting time. She has a wealth of experience in implementing digital strategies and large-scale IT projects across complex organisations that we will need to help us provide the best care for our patients. I would also like to thank Ward Priestman for all that he has done as interim chief informatics officer.” 

Rob Whiteman, Chair of UHD said: “We are very lucky to have someone of Beverley’s track record and reputation joining us. She has also been a passionate leader for diversity and inclusion with her roles in the NHS and will strengthen our work across UHD to make our trust a great place to work.”

Beverley said: “I am delighted to have been offered this role at UHD. I am excited to lead the Trust’s digital agenda and also look forward to supporting the Trust’s wider strategic ambitions”

Beverley’s previous roles have included director of digital technology for NHS England and chief information officer for the Department of Health. She will start as CDO at UHD on 28 October 2024.