Dorset County Hospital Charity Appeal reaches £1.25 million fundraising milestone

Dorset County Hospital (DCH) Charity is delighted to announce that it has reached the halfway fundraising milestone of £1.25 million for its Emergency and Critical Care Appeal. The £2.5 million Appeal will fund enhancements to facilities and equipment beyond the NHS budget for the new Emergency Department and Critical Care Unit which is currently under construction at Dorset County Hospital.

Construction for the new units commenced in Spring 2025 and will provide a new Emergency Department and Critical Care Unit that will link to the existing hospital and improve the ability of these departments to respond to the needs of our local population. The £100 million project is funded by the Government’s New Hospital programme (NHP) and set to be completed in 2027.

Enhancements the DCH Charity will fund from the Appeal include new equipment such as a mobile Xray imaging unit for the new Critical Care Unit, new staff rest areas for both departments, along with new artistically designed elements. The Appeal will also fund a new patient Winter Garden in Critical Care, dedicated relatives’ rooms, and child and adolescent mental health facilities in the Emergency Department.

Emergency Department and Critical Care Unit

Emma Sidey, DCH Critical Care Matron said: “We are delighted the DCH Charity has reached this milestone. The new Winter Garden for Critical Care will play a crucial role in the rehabilitation of those patients whose length of stay lasts weeks or even months. We will be able to make this standard of treatment the rule, not the exception.”

DCH Charity Head of Fundraising, Jodi Hibbard said, “It is thanks to the generosity of our supporters that we have reached this important milestone for the Appeal. Individuals, groups and local businesses who want to support us have often had their lives touched by the services DCH provides, and they want to give something back. This Appeal is very special as fundraisers will be able to see exactly what the funds have paid for, once the new units are open. 2026 also marks our 30^th Anniversary of supporting healthcare at Dorset County Hospital, and we are excited for upcoming events such as Buckham Fair, which is returning this year to help support the Appeal. We look forward to meeting new supporters and working with current supporters to reach our target of £2.5 million.”

DCH Chief Medical Officer, Rachel Wharton, said, “The new Emergency Department and Critical Care Unit at DCH will significantly increase the hospital’s capacity, and enable us to meet the needs of the local population both now and into the future. Funds raised by the DCH Charity are so important to provide the enhancements to the project which will really benefit the patient and carer experience as they use our facilities at some of the most difficult times of their lives.”

For more information about the Appeal, what it will fund and how you can get involved, visit our Appeal page. You can also watch our Appeal video featuring Kate Adie. For more information about fundraising opportunities contact us on charity@dchft.nhs.uk or phone 01305 253215.