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Local partners have today launched a survey to get people’s views on mental health services within their communities. The survey is open to anyone aged 16 or over and asks people what they think is good about services, what could be improved and what ideas or hopes they would have for services in the future. Dr Sudipto Das, Consultant Psychiatrist with Dorset HealthCare “Everyone working in health wants people to have access to the services they need, however despite our best efforts we recognise that sometime they don’t meet everyone’s needs. We are seeking views on how services can be improved, [...]

With hot weather arriving at the end of this week, Public Health England (PHE) has issued advice for staying safe. Parts of the country are likely to feel very warm and there will be pockets of very high temperatures in the East of England, London, Southeast England and the Southwest. Read more on Gov.uk  

We have today published a letter from Edward Argar MP, Minister of State for Health in relation to the Clinical Services Review. It is available via dorsetsvision.nhs.uk.

Staff at NHS Dorset Clinical Commissioning Group have been supporting their local partner organisations and patients during the COVID-19 pandemic, with some people swapping their day jobs for roles on the front line. The CCG employs many clinical staff who have voluntarily returned to support care in a variety of settings, such as hospital wards, community nursing and residential care homes. Along with physical deployment through the three acute hospitals in Dorchester, Poole and Bournemouth, members of the CCG also took the lead in other areas, including supporting local care homes and other organisations with guidance on infection control and education, [...]

The COVID-19 pandemic is seeing health services across the county adopt new ways of working, making the most of online technology to ensure patients continue to get access to the care they need; something that will continue in the future. Local GP practices are making more use of online triage via eConsult forms which – once completed – help ensure patients are directed to the most appropriate care. Since the start of lockdown eConsult use has more than doubled with nearly 18,000 being completed in June compared to around 5000 in February. The main NHS providers in Dorset are also seeing [...]

communities and visitors to the county to enjoy the summer holidays safely. With the school summer term due to finish for many this week, councils, emergency services and other organisations have been busy preparing for a wave of visitors arriving to experience all that the county has to offer. However, with the ongoing public health situation residents and tourists are being encouraged to remain conscious of the need to act responsibly when out and about this summer and respect their surroundings and local communities. Assistant Chief Constable Sam de Reya, of Dorset Police, said: “The majority of our communities and visitors [...]

Summer is shaping up to look very different from previous years, but whether you are spending it in your back garden or venturing further afield and visiting the shops, beaches and restaurants – make sure you take care of your health. If you are going out in the sun remember to wear sun screen of at least factor 30 and keep topping it up during the day. Avoid being in direct sunlight between 11am and 3pm if you can and wear a hat and sunglasses to protect your head and eyes. If the weather is hot, make sure you take on [...]

The annual GP Patient Survey (GPPS) conducted by Ipsos MORI has once again seen GP practices in Dorset score highly. Across the NHS Dorset CCG area over 21,813 questionnaires were sent out between January and March 2020 asking people for their opinions on everything from their overall experience to how involved they felt with their treatment and how easy it is to speak to someone over the phone. 43% were completed and returned (9,478) Results show that nearly 9 out 10 people registered with a GP practice in Dorset describe their experience of their practice as good – higher than the [...]

Ahead of the partial relaxation of lockdown rules this weekend, NHS partners in Dorset are reminding people where to get help if they need it. If you or someone you are with has an emergency or is in a life-threatening situation, don’t hesitate call 999. For everything else, call 111 or go to 111 online. Pharmacies, minor injuries units, and hospital emergency departments are all available for people who need them, but access to some services may be different than in the past. Some minor injuries units and Weymouth’s Urgent Treatment Centre will be open, but by appointment only. You can [...]