Important information about rheumatology services
From 17 August 2026, rheumatology services across University Hospitals Dorset will be provided from our hub sites at Christchurch Hospital and Dorset County Hospital.
Clinics will also continue to run at the following locations:
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Blandford Hospital
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Bridport Community Hospital
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Christchurch Hospital
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Dorset County Hospital (South Walks House)/Dorchester
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Poole Hospital (St Mary’s Hospital site)
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Weymouth Community Hospital
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Wimborne Hospital
If you currently receive your care at Poole Hospital, you may be contacted with a change to your clinic location. If your appointment does move to another location, all efforts will be made to ensure it is as convenient to your home as possible.
Patients with BH15, BH16, BH19 and BH20 postcodes will be seen in St Mary’s Hospital, opposite Poole Hospital.
Please check your updated appointment letter carefully when you receive it. If you already have an appointment booked before 17 August 2026, please attend as planned.
This change supports our ongoing commitment to improving patient care and delivering high-quality services.
Please read out frequently asked questions (FAQs) below for more information.
Frequently asked questions
We want to ensure you receive high-quality care from our Rheumatology Team no matter where you live in the county. To achieve this, we will be offering appointments across a number of smaller sites across the region, instead of most appointments being delivered at Poole Hospital. This means more appointments in the west of Dorset (Blandford, Bridport, Dorchester and Weymouth), and in the east (Christchurch and Wimborne).
No. You will continue to receive dedicated care by the Dorset Rheumatology Team. Your care will not be impacted due to a change in your appointment location.
No. You will be contacted when your appointment is due. Please read your new letter carefully as this will confirm the site for your next appointment.
Routine appointments are booked six weeks prior to your planned visit. If it is difficult for you to attend the appointment you are given, please contact Main Outpatients on 0300 019 4740 where we will aim to make alternative arrangements.
Where possible we will aim to maintain continuity of care with your existing consultant.
Where this is not possible you will still be seen by another member of our rheumatology consultant team.
If you want to remain with your named consultant that may be possible, but you may need to travel further for your appointment.
PractitionerWe will aim to maintain continuity of care within our large practitioner team where possible.
If you are not able to make your appointment at your new location, please contact us on 0300 019 5430 so we can discuss this with you.
If you are not offered an appointment at Poole, we will endeavour to offer you an appointment as close as possible to your home address.
We are offering outpatient appointments at the below locations:
West of Dorset
Blandford Hospital
Milldown Road
Blandford
DT11 7DD
Bridport Community Hospital
Hospital Lane
Bridport
DT6 5DR
Weymouth Community Hospital
3 Melcombe Avenue
Weymouth
DT4 7TB
Dorset County Hospital Outpatient Assessment Centre (OAC)
South Walks House
Charles Street
Dorchester
DT1 1EE
East of Dorset
Christchurch Hospital - Main OutpatientsFairmile Road
Christchurch
BH23 2JX
Poole outpatient clinics - at the Outpatient Assessment Clinic (OAC) in St Marys Hospital) St Marys Hospital
St Marys Road
Poole
BH15 2BH
(Please note this is located opposite Poole Hospital).
Wimborne (Victoria Hospital)
Main Outpatients
Wimborne (Victoria Hospital)
Victoria Road
Wimborne
BH21 1ER
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For Blandford Hospital click here
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For Bridport Community Hospital click here
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For Christchurch Hospital click here
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For Dorset County Hospital (South Walks House)/Dorchester click here
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For St Mary’s Hospital click here
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For Weymouth Community Hospital click here
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For Wimborne Hospital click here
(Please note: As St Mary’s Hospital is across the road from Poole Hospital, the same car parks are used for St Mary’s and Poole Hospital
