Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust

The Dorset Health Care NHS Trust was established in November 1991, taking over responsibility from East Dorset Health Authority.{{cite web |title=The Dorset Health Care National Health Service Trust (Establishment) Order 1991 |url=https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1991/2339/made |website=legislation.gov.uk |access-date=5 April 2025 |date=21 October 1991}} In April 2007, the Trust achieved foundation trust status.{{cite web |title=AUTHORISATION of DORSET HEALTHCARE NHS FOUNDATION TRUST |url=https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Dorset_HealthCare_University_NHS_FT_-_authorisaton_010407.pdf |website=england.nhs.uk |access-date=5 April 2025 |date=1 April 2007}} The Trust then became university-affiliated in June 2010, after approval by Monitor to use 'University' in its title.{{cite web |title=Part I Minutes of the Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust Board of Directors Meeting held on Wednesday 30 June 2010 |url=http://www.dorsethealthcare.nhs.uk/Portals/3/BoardMinutes/BoardMinutesPart1June10.pdf |website=dorsethealthcare.nhs.uk |access-date=5 April 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101111002151/http://www.dorsethealthcare.nhs.uk/Portals/3/BoardMinutes/BoardMinutesPart1June10.pdf |archive-date=11 November 2010 |date=30 June 2010 |url-status=dead}} The Trust collaborates with Bournemouth University and Southampton University.{{cite web|title=About us|url=https://www.dorsethealthcare.nhs.uk/about-us|website=dorsethealthcare.nhs.uk|accessdate=5 April 2025}}

The Trust runs 12 community hospitals and minor injuries units, as well as providing:

• Adult and children's community and mental health
• Specialist learning disability services
• Community brain injury services
• Addiction support
• Eating disorder services
• Sexual health services

The Trust has a large and geographically broad estate, operating from over 300 sites ranging from community hospitals to single rooms within premises of other NHS providers. It includes a wide range of different properties, from small to medium-sized mental health in-patient hospitals to single ward community hospitals located in market towns. The Trust participated in an Enhancing the Healing Environment project with the King's Fund to encourage greater use of dining, social and garden areas in St Brelades Ward, Alderney Hospital, Poole.{{cite web|title=Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust|url=http://www.kingsfund.org.uk/projects/enhancing-healing-environment/completed-projects/dorset-healthcare-university-nhs|work=Enhancing the Healing Environment|publisher=Kings Fund|accessdate=12 January 2014}}

In November 2021, the Trust started building an inpatient eating disorders unit at St Ann's Hospital in Sandbanks with eight inpatient beds and two high-dependency beds.{{cite news |title=Construction begins on therapeutic eating disorders unit |url=https://www.buildingbetterhealthcare.com/news/article_page/Construction_begins_on_therapeutic_eating_disorders_unit/180519/cn164706 |access-date=27 December 2021 |publisher=Building Better Healthcare |date=12 November 2021}}

The Trust is regulated by NHS England. The Trust is also registered with the Care Quality Commission.

Monitor found the trust to be in breach of its licence for taking too long to make legally binding changes agreed in April 2013 to properly address quality of care issues raised by the Care Quality Commission and for failing to ensure appropriate staffing levels. In July 2014 Monitor reported that its concerns had been addressed.{{cite news|title=NHS healthcare trust shows improvement after breaching licence|url=http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/11322097.NHS_healthcare_trust_shows_improvement_after_breaching_licence/|accessdate=21 December 2014|publisher=Bournemouth Echo|date=5 July 2014}}

In January 2014 the Trust admitted that it has been failing standards on same sex accommodation for more than two years, despite reporting compliance.{{cite news|title=Trust admits it wrongly reported same sex compliance|url=http://www.hsj.co.uk/hsj-local/mental-health-trusts/dorset-healthcare-university-nhs-foundation-trust/trust-admits-it-wrongly-reported-same-sex-compliance/5066928.article?blocktitle=News&contentID=8805#.UtLJdbTYXz8|accessdate=12 January 2014|newspaper=Health Service Journal|date=10 January 2014}}

In April 2015 it was reported that this was the only foundation trust in England where persistently more than 7.5 per cent of its beds are occupied by a patient whose transfer has been delayed, this being one of Monitor's targets. The trust said: "This [performance] is in a context of a very real shortage of nursing or residential placements, exacerbated by the closure of two independent care homes due to quality concerns that removed 71 beds from the local system."{{cite news|title=Care home closures blamed for Dorset delayed transfers|url=http://www.hsj.co.uk/mental-health/news/exclusive-care-home-closures-blamed-for-dorset-delayed-transfers/5084103.article#.VU_T_4q4_eM|accessdate=10 May 2015|publisher=Health Service Journal|date=13 April 2015}}

In July 2019, the trust was rated Outstanding by the Care Quality Commission.{{Cite web|url=https://www.cqc.org.uk/news/releases/cqc-rate-dorset-healthcare-university-nhs-foundation-trust-outstanding|title=CQC rate Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust as Outstanding {{!}} Care Quality Commission|website=www.cqc.org.uk|access-date=2019-08-15}}

The director of nursing, Paul Lumsden, resigned in March 2014 after less than three months in the post. The chair and chief executive also resigned after intervention by Monitor (NHS) and were replaced on an interim basis by Sir David Henshaw and Ron Shields respectively. Former parliamentary health service ombudsman Ann Abraham was appointed as permanent chair from 7 April.{{cite news|title=New chair for Dorset Healthcare but director of nursing resigns|url=http://www.hsj.co.uk/hsj-local/mental-health-trusts/dorset-healthcare-university-nhs-foundation-trust/new-chair-for-dorset-healthcare-but-director-of-nursing-resigns/5068372.article#.UyNvhIXBeU4|accessdate=14 March 2014|newspaper=Health Service Journal|date=4 March 2014}} Eugine Yafele, a former mental health nurse, was appointed chief executive in December 2018. In 2022 he moved to University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust as chief executive. He was the top of the Health Service Journal ranking of NHS chief executives. {{cite news |title=White men form the minority of HSJ’s Top Chief Executives |url=https://www.hsj.co.uk/workforce/white-men-form-the-minority-of-hsjs-top-chief-executives/7032242.article |access-date=23 May 2022 |publisher=Health Service Journal |date=13 April 2022}}

The Trust spent nearly £650,000 on an external PR and marketing firm, Southampton-based Grayling PR from 2008 to 2014. In 2014/5 the trust will spend more than £104,000 on services provided by the firm. Its total PR and marketing budget for the current year is £177,000, but that does not take into account the salaries of its own communications staff. Nicola Plumb, director for organisational development, participation and corporate affairs at the trust, is in charge of communications and is paid nearly £100,000 a year.{{cite news|title=Dorset NHS Trust director defends use of public cash for £650K PR bill|url=http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/11649763.Dorset_NHS_Trust_director_defends_use_of_public_cash_for___650K_PR_bill/|accessdate=21 December 2014|publisher=Dorset Echo|date=6 December 2014}}

• Healthcare in Dorset
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Category:NHS foundation trusts

Category:2007 establishments in England

Category:Health in Dorset