Information for patients during industrial action

During times of industrial action, our priority is to provide safe care. Please help us by choosing the right services for your needs.

Key information for hospital appointments and patients

• At times, we may have to postpone some appointments during industrial action. We will let you know directly if your appointment is cancelled. Please assume it is going ahead unless you are contacted directly.

• No-one should put off seeking urgent or emergency care during the strikes and people with serious, life-threatening conditions will continue to be seen in our emergency departments.

• Use NHS 111 online or by phone for other urgent care needs. If you are contacting 111, please give as much information as you can, as that will help you get the right support and advice.

• For non-urgent care services please contact your GP practice to make an appointment.

Mental health support

If you need mental health support call Connection on 0800 652 0190. The Connection service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Visit your local pharmacy

Pharmacies can help with allergies, constipation, headaches, earaches and many other ailments.
Find a pharmacy near you.

Patient discharge

Staying in hospital for longer than necessary can have a negative impact on how well patients recover. Most patients will continue to recover at home once they leave hospital. In fact, many patients need to leave hospital to be able to complete their recovery fully.

Help us get patients who are ready for discharge home so our hospital beds are available for people who need them most urgently. Please speak to the ward team if you need more information and respond quickly to any calls from us about your relative leaving hospital.

Outstanding leadership award for hospital manager

A Head Orthoptist and service manager at University Hospitals Dorset (UHD) has won a prestigious national award for services to the orthoptic profession. 

Julie Dowdney was awarded the 'Outstanding Leadership' accolade by the British and Irish Orthoptic Society (BIOS) during their annual award ceremony held in Birmingham.

The award was presented by the ex-Chair of BIOS, Mrs Veronica Greenwood, OBE, and reflects Julie's dedication to her work as both Vice Chair of BIOS for two terms, as well as her role as Chair of the Leaders of the Orthoptic Profession. 

Julie, whose career at UHD spans over 20 years, has also been Chair for the Trailblazer Group, delivering the Orthoptic Apprenticeship Standard, a pre-registration apprenticeship route which will allow greater access into the profession by widening the entry criteria, enabling students who aren't able to enter the traditional university route to work whilst training. 

Julie said: "It is both humbling and wonderful to receive this award in recognition for my work to our professional body. The ceremony was a great night of celebraton for myself and my peers, and I'm very proud to have been acknowledged in this way."

Hospital first in UK to welcome Bishop

The Chaplaincy Team at University Hospitals Dorset (UHD) welcomed Bishop Kosea Odongo of Soroti, Uganda, to the Royal Bournemouth Hospital (RBH).

Bishop Kosea leads the Anglican diocese of Soroti in Uganda, making him the spiritual leader of hundreds of thousands of Ugandan Christians.

He spent time with his wife, Grace, at RBH’s new multi-faith space within the Chaplaincy Centre at the start of July, and also enjoyed a walkabout on-site to talk with staff.

He said: “I have been particularly interested to learn about Chaplaincy provision within the NHS during my first visit to an acute hospital in the United Kingdom, and I thank the staff members here for making myself and Grace feel so welcome.

“I have learnt a great deal in a short amount of time, and look forward to taking this back to colleagues both in my diocese, and in the Soroti Regional Referral Hospital, where we hold prayers for both staff and patients.”

Bishop Kosea and his wife Grace with members of UHD'S Chaplaincy and Organisational Development teams 

James Taylor, Lead Chaplain at UHD, co-ordinated the visit. He said: “Bishop Kosea stressed the importance of inclusion, speaking of welcoming other denominations and faiths into their new chapel space in Soroti."

"We discussed the similarities and differences of our work, and he reflected candidly on the inequalities of funding for treatment in the Ugandan system, as well as the shadow that civil war still casts over many.” 

“It was a pleasure to welcome the Bishop to RBH, and for myself and my colleagues in the Chaplaincy Team to be able to show him the vital work we do here, which he greatly appreciated. We look forward to a return visit to Soroti in the near future!”

UHD celebrates construction milestone at 'topping out' ceremony with Darwin Group

Tuesday 10 June marked the last structural element being placed at the top of Royal Bournemouth Hospital’s new Coast Building, in a symbolic 'topping out' ceremony.

Darwin Group®, the healthcare estates specialist, has delivered and installed the highest point of Royal Bournemouth Hospital’s new Coast Building. Construction started on the site in November 2024 following a ground-breaking ceremony.

Royal Bournemouth Hospital, part of University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust (UHD), is also part of the NHS’s national New Hospital Programme.

Darwin Group has expertly designed and is now constructing, delivering, and installing the Coast Building. It will contain a modern ward and catering block to expand the hospital’s patient capacity and elevate University Hospital Dorset’s services.

The topping out ceremony was organised collaboratively between UHD and Darwin Group, and guests included the Trust’s chief executive and senior leadership team, senior leaders from the NHS’s New Hospital Programme, and key stakeholders, including Tom Hayes, MP Bournemouth East and Councillor Millie Earl, Leader, BCP Council.

Nick Dawe, managing director for Darwin Group, said:

“It’s been a pleasure to be part of today’s topping out ceremony at Royal Bournemouth Hospital and to hear the excitement from Trust staff on how much of a positive impact this new building, and the facilities it will house, will bring to their working experience, as well as for patients in Bournemouth.

“We’re proud to continue our close collaboration with the Trust on the Coast Building and look forward to handing over this project successfully in 2026.”

Darren Crook CBE, programme delivery director for the NHS New Hospital Programme, added:

“Reaching the topping out milestone at the Coast Building is a fantastic achievement for everyone involved. It reflects the hard work, collaboration and commitment of UHD, Darwin Group, and the wider New Hospital Programme.

“This new facility will make a meaningful difference to staff and patients at Royal Bournemouth Hospital, and it’s great to see real progress on the ground as we work together to deliver modern, sustainable infrastructure for the NHS of the future.”

Siobhan Harrington, chief executive for University Hospitals Dorset, also shared her thoughts:

“The topping out of the Coast Building marks a major milestone for Royal Bournemouth Hospital and for our communities across Dorset.

"The new facility is a vital part of our wider transformation – designed to expand capacity, modernise care, and meet future demand.

"I’m incredibly proud of the teamwork and dedication that’s brought us to this point, and look forward to seeing the positive impact this facility will have for generations to come.”

The Coast Building will feature 110 new beds across four floors, a larger kitchen and catering facility. Spanning 10,800 square meters, the facility also reflects a commitment to sustainability and carbon reduction with renewable energy supported by photovoltaic panels.

The construction work programme has been designed to minimise disruptions to the site over the duration of the project and is planned to open in 2026.