New partnership delivering solar energy for Poole Hospital
As part of UHD’s transition to net zero, Aztec Solar Energy has become a Centrica Business Solutions energy partner and will complete its first solar photovoltaic (PV) design and installation project at Poole Hospital. 
The project involves five interconnected roofs on one building and will have 470 PV panels, five SolarEdge inverters and 261 optimisers. Estimates show that it will generate circa 200,000 kWh annually to save circa 50 tonnes of CO2 a year.
Aztec Solar will connect, commission and test the new solar PV system over just two days after installing the panels, inverters and other equipment over the preceding weeks.
Stuart Lane, UHD's sustainability and carbon manager, said:
“We are delighted to announce successful project completions with Centrica Business Solutions and Aztec, overcoming site constraints and height access challenges.
“We are implementing a new roof-mounted photovoltaic system to advance our commitment towards achieving net zero carbon targets.
"Upon completion, this installation is projected to generate circa 200,000 kWh of power or approximately 5% of Poole Hospital’s power demand and offset approximately 50 tonnes of CO2 a year.
“The solar panel arrays are situated atop the Phillip Arnold blocks and the Dorset Cancer Centre.
"This partnership underscores our commitment to embrace solar energy as we decarbonise our estate - enhancing healthcare facilities and services for our community.”
Phil Bryant, head of public sector sales for Centrica Business Solutions said:
“Aztec Solar is an excellent addition to our energy partner programme and given their experience in the health sector and their expertise in installing solar PV systems on commercial buildings, they were the ideal company to partner with for the delivery of the project at Poole Hospital.
“We’re seeing an uptick in demand from public sector and commercial organisations, looking to take advantage of the space above their heads for solar schemes.
"This provides cost certainty and a source of green power, supporting long-term sustainability ambitions.”
Commenting on the project Chris Cowling, commercial director at Aztec Solar said:
“Becoming a Centrica Business Solutions energy partner is an important step in our business’ growth in designing and delivering commercial solar PV installations.
"Poole Hospital is one of many healthcare buildings that we have provided solutions for, so we understand how important it is to work closely with Centrica Business Solutions to minimise the effects of our installation and the electrical shutdown on patient wellbeing and medical equipment.”
In line with the NHS Long Term Plan, UHD is committed to embedding sustainability across its organisation and with partners, leading by example in its sector and improving the health and wellbeing of the communities it serves.
University Hospitals Dorset (UHD) recently held a free Understanding Health talk around ‘Understanding hips: how to avoid surgery’.
The talk was presented by Professor Robert Middleton, consultant orthopaedic surgeon and head of the orthopaedic research institute at Bournemouth University and brought to you by your trust governors.
The free event took place on 10 April 2024 at 2.30pm in St. Saviour's Church in Bournemouth. Despite the bad weather, the event was attended by almost 300 people. It was also streamed via Microsoft Teams.
To watch a recording of the event, please click here.
Planned relocation of haematology inpatient services
In the ongoing transformation efforts of University Hospitals Dorset, we are pleased to announce the relocation of the Poole inpatient haematology ward (Durlston), to Ward 7R at the Royal Bournemouth site, effective from the week commencing 29 April 2024
This strategic move is designed to centralise our haematology inpatient beds onto a single hospital site, thereby streamlining resources and fostering the development of a unified, highly skilled team.
We anticipate significant benefits for our haematology patients, including the establishment of a sustainable specialist service, aimed at ensuring the delivery of optimal treatment outcomes.
We wish to reassure you that this relocation is not expected to impact your cancer care treatment, aside from the change in the location for inpatient admissions, which will now be facilitated at the Bournemouth site from the w/c 29 April 2024
We appreciate this matter may raise some questions and hope these FAQs are helpful.
If you have any further questions, please contact our patient experience team: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
One week left to nominate for our Patient Choice awards!
Your local hospitals are giving you the chance to put forward staff or volunteers you feel have gone the extra mile for special recognition.
The Patient Choice Team Award and Patient Choice Individual Award are two of the categories seeking to highlight some of the incredible individuals and teams that make up University Hospitals Dorset – Christchurch, Poole and Royal Bournemouth hospitals.
They form part of the UHD Awards 2024, which recognise and celebrate hospital staff, those working for key partners in our hospitals and for volunteers who freely give their time and skills.
Nominating is simple – just click here to find an online form and guidance on what judges will be looking for to help your nomination stand out.
Judges will be looking for individuals and teams for who nothing is too much trouble, provide great care or service, treat others with kindness and respect, and are a great example to others.
Siobhan Harrington, chief executive for UHD, said: “Ultimately we are all here to provide the best care we can for our patients. For me, this means the complete experience patients have from the moment they step foot in our hospitals or speak to a member of our team on the phone or online, not necessarily just the clinical care we provide.
“Every member of our staff can contribute to the care a patient experiences, and I hope as many members of the public as possible take the opportunity to put someone forward in the Patient Choice categories.
“We saw at our first awards last year how much that recognition from the public means to our UHD family, so we’d love to see as many nominations in this category as possible.”
The winners will be decided by a judging panel representing a wide range of UHD staff and announced at an awards event at The Pavilion in Bournemouth on 20 June.
Nominations must be made by midnight on 3 May 2024.
Click here to make your nomination!
Our 2023 UHD Awards winners
Patient Choice Awards judging criteria
Recognising an individual or team who (some or all criteria may be relevant):
- actively promote a positive and memorable experience of our hospitals
- go the extra mile - nothing is too much trouble
- deliver consistently great care or service
- treat others with kindness and care, dignity and respect, and are supportive and compassionate
- are a great example and role model to others
New ODPs to join TeamUHD
Four BU students, in their final year studying Operating Department Practice (ODP) at Bournemouth University, will be joining TeamUHD in full time roles on completion of their degrees.
Ryan Watkins, Ellie MacDonald, Kerenza Piotrowicz and Jasmine Cossins have all secured positions as ODPs in the hospital, in part due to their performance while on placement at UHD during their studies. Their placements in theatre settings have been in surgery, anaesthetics, and recovery (post-anaesthesia care unit).
During their placements, the students have developed good working relationships with the theatres team. This is due to the structure of the course, which sees students placed between university and the hospital during their three-year degree so that their progress can be assessed in both education and practice environments.
Ryan Watkins, ODP at UHD, “I found it amazing working at UHD with all the opportunities provided. There was a real emphasis on encouraging us to meet all the different specialities we would be working with in the future.”
Ellie Macdonald, ODP scrub at UHD, “I really enjoyed this placement and the three years of doing this course.”
Kerenza Piotrowicz, ODP at UHD, said, “I came straight from college as I knew this role was something I wanted to do. I have really enjoyed it and saw everything I needed before qualifying. I love working at UHD – it is a brilliant, friendly team.”
Jasmine Cossins, anastatic practitioner at UHD, said, “I’ve had an amazing experience and three years training. I feel like I fit right in with the friendly team. I am looking forward to getting stuck right in with my new role. The multi-disciplinary team has a wide range of specialities and I have loved learning from them and gaining as much experience as possible.”
Suzanne Gorman, deputy practice educator at UHD, said, “It has been profoundly rewarding to watch their journey and see their confidence grow. Going from scared year one students to registered professionals – we are so proud of them. We look forward to supporting them as newly qualified practitioners and we can’t wait to see what they do next and how their careers fly.”
Professor Anand Pandyan, executive dean of the faculty of health and social sciences at BU, said, “Well done to the ODP team and all the clinical educators for giving our students an excellent educational experience that convinced to remain local. The ODP team at BU has worked tirelessly on training graduates for the local work force.
“ODP is one of the professions where there are shortages, and I am pleased that we have been able to respond to local needs by introducing a new ODP apprentice programme to train more ODP practitioners. We continue to serve the people of Dorset with our training and education.”
