Dorset Digital Strategy
The Our Dorset Digital Strategy is a comprehensive plan aiming to transform Dorset’s health and care system through digital innovation by 2031. It emphasises creating a seamless, integrated digital ecosystem that empowers staff, improves patient experiences, and leverages emerging technologies like AI to deliver equitable, efficient, and person-centred care across all health and social care settings.
Strategic vision and context
Dorset aspires to be recognised as a digital pioneer within the NHS by 2031, where people, data, and technology work harmoniously to deliver outstanding care. The strategy addresses Dorset’s diverse population of over 810,000, highlighting existing health inequalities and the need for digital tools to overcome challenges such as rural access and ageing demographics. Digital technology is positioned as essential for a resilient health and care system, not merely an optional enhancement. The strategy promotes a unified digital approach across all partners and providers, focusing on interoperability, shared priorities, and sustainable investment. AI and automation are central to this vision, supporting clinicians and enhancing care without replacing human capability.
Strategy development, objectives and themes
This strategy has been co-created with our people, not delivered to them. We brought together digital, clinical, and operational leaders from every part of the Dorset system to develop a shared digital ambition that genuinely reflects how care is delivered across settings. Through workshops, design sessions, and continuous engagement, we have built a common purpose rooted in local priorities, lived experience, and the expertise of those who know our services best.
The strategy sets out four strategic objectives and four themes that together provide the foundations to transform care for citizens and staff. These objectives define what we must achieve to make digital a true enabler of better outcomes, while the themes describe how we will deliver change consistently and safely across the system. These form our digital blueprint for Dorset – built on collaboration, standardisation and shared capability to support every care setting.
To guarantee this strategy converts ambition into measurable progress, we have defined system-wide key performance indicators that will track the benefits delivered over time. This ensures transparency, accountability, and pace – giving confidence that Dorset is not only imagining a better digital future but is equipped to deliver it.