Work will begin on Dorset County Hospital's (DCH) much anticipated multi-storey car park this month to kick start a major expansion of clinical facilities.

Contractors Willmott Dixon will be undertaking the construction works.

The multi-storey car park is the first phase of the development of the Dorchester hospital site to free up land for expanding the emergency department and intensive care unit (ICU), as well as establishing an integrated care hub as part of a long-term project to deliver the recommendations of Dorset's Clinical Services Review.

The construction work or the multi-storey will involve work on the hospital's main entrance in Williams Avenue and cordoning off an area of the existing car park, so visitors to the site can expect some disruption. The construction team will be making every effort to minimise the impact of the building work.

Dorset County Hospital's deputy chief executive, Nick Johnson, said: "We are delighted to be able to get the building work under way, marking the start of a hugely significant and exciting period in DCH's history.

"We would like to thank everyone who supported our planning application for the multi-storey as this scheme is the key to unlocking the future expansion of clinical services.

"Our existing emergency department and ICU were not built to accommodate the volume of patients we are seeing now.

"Our clinical teams have responded magnificently to the additional challenges coronavirus has brought, but it is now more clear than ever that we must create additional space and facilities to ensure the safety of our patients.

"The development of these facilities is vital to make sure we are able to continue to meet the ever-increasing demand on our services and secure the future of Dorset County Hospital in Dorchester for a generation to come."

Mr Johnson added that as well as improving healthcare services for residents, DCH is also committed to its role in benefitting the local economy.

"Where possible, we will work closely with our contractors to make sure local people are employed and local suppliers are used for our building programme," he said.

"We are also exploring future opportunities to develop other land on our site for the provision of local key worker housing."

For more information about DCH's site development plans, visit dchft.nhs.uk

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