Thousands of babies protected thanks to Dorset vaccination service

A vaccination service run by teams from University Hospitals Dorset (UHD), Dorset County Hospital (DCH), and Dorset HealthCare (DHC) has celebrated a successful first year providing vaccinations to pregnant patients across Dorset.

‘Perinatal’ vaccines protect both the parent and baby from serious illnesses like whooping cough, RSV and complications from flu, by transferring antibodies. By coming together as three trusts, the team of midwives have developed a flexible year-round service, offering clinics at multiple locations throughout the county, with almost 7,000 perinatal vaccinations delivered since September 2024.

Dorset's Integrated Vaccination Service team

Suzanne Charles, Clinical Sites Matron for the Integrated Vaccination Service at DHC, said: “We pride ourselves on placing our patients at the very centre of what we do, whether that is aligning vaccinations to scan and clinic appointments, or by finding appropriate spaces for vaccination clinics within smaller towns to reduce travel for families. Consequently, we’ve seen a sharp rise in uptake of perinatal vaccinations in Dorset, providing many more newborns with protection against whooping cough, RSV, and complications from seasonal flu.”

“To date we have delivered over 6,800 perinatal vaccines and we are already one of the highest performing trusts in the country for this year’s autumn flu programme.

“The success to our service is wholly down to the staff who have worked so hard to make it happen. The vaccination service leads and lead midwives at the trusts have been crucial to the design and legalities of everything that comes with starting something new, but all staff at every level have given so much of themselves to keep pushing and improving.

“From midwifery and admin teams to the Pharmacy Department and digital midwives working in women’s health, the real celebration here is the collaboration between three trusts to create a service which offers a bespoke feel for every single patient, right across Dorset.”

 For more information about the vaccination service and upcoming clinics in your local area, call 07345 436189 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Improved care for patients as Medical SDEC team moves to new home 

Patients at our Royal Bournemouth Hospital site are benefiting from improved same-day emergency care following the relocation of the Medical Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) team.

On 21 July, the team successfully moved into their new temporary home. The move was completed in just one day with no disruption to patient care. The new, larger, and more flexible space allows the team to provide faster assessments, better use of resources, and more tailored care. This ensures that more patients can be seen in the right place, at the right time.

Same Day Emergency Care helps patients by avoiding unnecessary hospital admissions, reducing waiting times, and relieving pressure on the Emergency Department. This means patients can often be treated and return home the same day, supporting quicker recovery and a better overall experience.

Dr Kelham Slinger, Consultant in Acute Medicine, said:
“It’s an exciting move that brings us closer to an ‘SDEC first’ approach - combining medical take and ambulatory care to achieve the same goal of seeing the right patient, in the right place, at the right time.”

Thank you to all the colleagues who worked hard to make this move possible and their continued dedication to delivering the best possible care for our patients. 

Medical SDEC team

Patients to benefit from new community clinic

A new clinic to support patients with respiratory conditions has opened in Poole, providing assessment and management of symptoms in one local hub.

Based in University Hospital Dorset’s (UHD) Outpatients Assessment Centre on the former St Mary’s Maternity Unit site, the clinic aims to bring specialist diagnostics such as spirometry and lung function tests closer to the community, treating a range of conditions including asthma and COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease).

The service is part of a Community Diagnostic Centres Programme, with UHD working alongside three local Primary Care Networks; Poole Central Primary Care Network, Shore Medical, and Poole North Primary Care Network, to tackle waiting lists and provide a dedicated clinic for all tests to be undertaken in one place.

Anna Szyfner, Operational and Performance Manager for the Outpatient Assessment Centre, said: “It’s fantastic to see how this service is already making a difference for our patients. By bringing respiratory testing into a more accessible location at St Mary’s, with convenient parking and drop-off access, and supporting the clinics through our Outpatients Team, we’re showing what real collaboration between primary and secondary care can achieve. I’m proud to be part of a project that is improving access and delivering high-quality, patient-centred care."

Promoting health in pregnancy 

UHD and Dorset HealthCare are hosting a ‘Promoting Health in Pregnancy’ drop-in event in the BEACH reception at the Royal Bournemouth Hospital on Wednesday 3 September, 9am-4pm.

You will have the opportunity to discuss key health  topics,such as nutrition, activity, smoking, pelvic health,and vaccinationswith some of our Maternity Team.

Pregnant people will have the opportunity to have their seasonalflu vaccine right at the start of the season, and eligible non-pregnant people will be able to book theirs with the team.