Nearly 30% of Dorset’s residents are aged over 65, which is projected to grow by another 50% over the next 25 years. On this page, AgeSpace has gathered together the key resources to help guide you around the elderly care and health services available in Dorset. These are primarily provided by the NHS and two unitary, local authorities (Dorset Council and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council).
You can find information on:
NHS Services for the Elderly in Dorset
Healthcare is the responsibility of NHS Dorset‘s Integrated Care System (ICS). The ICS oversees healthcare in Dorset, including the general hospitals, GP services, mental health services and smaller local hospitals, all the way down to community care services. It also includes the following trusts:
Major Hospitals in Dorset
The three major hospitals in Dorset are Poole Hospital, the Royal Bournemouth Hospital and Dorset County Hospital.
Poole Hospital
Poole Hospital is an acute, general hospital based on the south coast of England. The hospital has a 24-hour major accident and emergency department and is the designated trauma unit for East Dorset, serving a population of around 500,000 people.
In addition, the hospital’s flagship Dorset Cancer Centre provides medical and clinical oncology services for the whole of Dorset, serving a total population of over 750,000. Forest Holme Hospice, the palliative care unit, is located a short walk from the main hospital.
Royal Bournemouth Hospital
The Royal Bournemouth Hospital is an acute, general hospital serving residents of Bournemouth, Christchurch, East Dorset and part of the New Forest
It has a 24-hour accident and emergency department and provides district-wide services for vascular surgery and urology. Outpatient clinics are provided for oral surgery, thoracic, orthopaedics, ophthalmology and therapy. It is also the home to a diabetic unit called BDEC, which treats and educates local patients diagnosed with the disease.
Dorset County Hospital
Dorset County Hospital in Dorchester covers the west and northern areas of the county. It is a district, general hospital managed by Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
NHS Choices has a directory of services to help find, choose and compare health, support and social care services in Dorset. It is the official website of the National Health Service in England and provides a comprehensive health information service with articles, videos and tools, helping you to make the best choices about health and lifestyle.
NHS Continuing Funding Dorset
NHS continuing healthcare is a package of ongoing care that is arranged and funded solely by the NHS, where the individual has been found to have a ‘primary health need’. You will need to be referred for the service via your GP, district nurse, social worker, or other healthcare professional, who can advise you on the appropriateness of NHS continuing healthcare.
You can find more information on NHS Continuing Healthcare in Dorset here.
Community Healthcare in Dorset
The Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust provides a comprehensive range of healthcare services, including community and mental health services across the county.
A wide range of specialist NHS Community Services for physical health conditions exist in Dorset through this Trust.
Community Hospitals
Twelve community hospitals offer services including elderly care, inpatient rehabilitation, outpatient appointments, theatre, therapy services, and minor injury services.
A Carer’s Passport scheme is run at all of the community hospitals. Under this system, you can identify yourself on arrival and request a badge, or ‘passport’, which allows you to stay beyond regular visiting hours – providing reassurance and additional help for the person you are caring for.
Finding a GP in Dorset
Use the NHS GP Directory to find your nearest GP by typing in your postcode.
Local Authority Elderly Care Services in Dorset
Dorset Council’s Adult Social Care Services provide a variety of support and services for older adults in the rural Dorset area including befriending, independent living, healthcare, carer’s support, transport and more.
The Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole Council covers adult social care in the rest of the county. Follow their respective links for social care services in their areas.
Booking a Care Needs Assessment
A good way to start to arrange more help either at home or in a residential home is by requesting a Care Needs Assessment.
Whether care will be funded by the council or independently, a care assessment will identify the help that is needed – from alterations to the home, additional help during the day or night, or moving to residential care. The assessment will also identify the needs of carers.
To arrange a Care Needs Assessment in rural Dorset (Dorset Council area) you will need to contact the Adult Access Team either by telephone on 01305 221016 or through their online contact form. You can find out more information regarding the Care Needs service on their website.
For the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole area, you’ll need to get in contact with the local council’s Adult Social Care team by telephone on 01202 123654 or via their online contact from. See their website for more information.
Find a Helper with Good Life Sorted.
Good Life Sorted will introduce you to a local Helper to take on any tasks you might need help with from companionship to cooking, from light cleaning to running errands.
Specialist Mental Health Services
There are 13 Community Mental Health Teams (CMHTs) for older people, based in locations across Dorset.
They consist of a mixture of staff who are specially trained in dealing with mental health problems such as depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia and dementia. Their aim is to support older people to live safely at home and prevent unnecessary admissions into hospital.
The CMHTs provide a range of services, including assessments, treatments and home visits, as well as group and individual therapies. They see people in a variety of settings, including hospitals and outpatient clinics, but most often in their own homes.
If you or your elderly relative would like to see a member of the local CMHT and have not used this service before, speak to your GP or social care worker.
Home Care Services in Dorset
Home Care, or Domiciliary Care is professional care provided in the comfort of your own home. These services can allow your elderly relative to maintain the independence of living at home, whilst giving you the peace of mind that they’re being taken care of.
You can use Age Space’s own Home Care Directory to look for suitable home care that’s in your area:
