A Landmark Above Dorset: The New Helipad Takes Shape
A major milestone has been reached at Dorset County Hospital, where the new Emergency Department and Critical Care Unit is now really starting to take shape. The impressive new rooftop helipad is giving us a glimpse of what is to come.
The building has reached its highest point, marking the occasion for a special Topping Out ceremony hosted by construction partner Tilbury Douglas. Dorset County Hospital Charity’s Appeal Patron, broadcaster Kate Adie, joined the Charity team, construction partners, the national New Hospital Programme team, local partners and supporters to celebrate this significant moment.
And now, you can see the new helipad for yourself in our video.
A helipad built for life-saving care
One of the most striking features of the new building is the £2 million rooftop helipad, generously funded by the HELP Appeal – County Air Ambulance Trust.
Once operational, the helipad will enable air ambulances to land directly at the hospital, with patients able to be transferred by lift straight into the new building. For critically ill or seriously injured patients, this will help provide rapid access to specialist care when every second matters.
The aluminium helideck measures approximately 26.4 square metres and can accommodate an impressive 8.6 tonnes. Even the positioning of the familiar ‘H’ has been carefully considered, angled to align with the helicopter’s approach and departure direction.
A transformational new facility
The helipad is just one part of a £100 million scheme that will transform emergency and critical care at Dorset County Hospital.
Funded through the Government’s New Hospital Programme, the new Emergency Department and Critical Care Unit will provide two floors of new clinical space, creating a modern environment for patients, families and clinical teams.
It will provide improved facilities for emergency care and increase capacity within critical care, helping the hospital meet the needs of the communities it serves now and in the future.
Helping to make the new building even better
Alongside the £100 million construction project, Dorset County Hospital Charity is raising £2.5 million through its Emergency Department and Critical Care Appeal.
This funding will help provide enhanced facilities and specialist equipment, making sure the new building is equipped to deliver the best possible experience and care for patients.
At the time of this milestone, an incredible £1.85 million had already been raised.
That is an extraordinary achievement, but there is still a way to go.
Thank you for helping us get here
To everyone who has donated, organised a fundraising event, taken on a challenge, supported an Appeal event or encouraged others to get involved: thank you.
Every donation is helping to turn an ambitious new building into an outstanding environment for emergency and critical care.
The new helipad is a powerful symbol of what is being created here. Soon, it will become part of a modern hospital facility designed to give patients faster access to specialist care and provide clinical teams with the space, equipment and resources they need.
This is a transformation for Dorset and it is being made possible by investment, expertise and the extraordinary generosity of our community.