Trust Strategy

In September 2024 we launched our joint strategy with Dorset HealthCare.

Our vision

Healthier lives, empowered citizens, thriving communities.

Our mission

To work in partnership to provide high quality, compassionate services and to nurture an environment where people can be at their best. 

We are delighted to share our first joint strategy for Dorset County Hospital and Dorset HealthCare. As federated NHS trusts working closely with our Dorset health and care system partners, we are setting out clear intentions and ambitions that we can achieve together.

We need to transform our services and the way we work to better meet the needs of Dorset people and communities now and for the future. Our ambition is to change out of hospital services across the whole health and care system. We need to do this to meet the challenges we face, along with the wider NHS,
and to improve access to healthcare for local people.

Working closely with citizens and communities and putting their voice at the heart of all we do is vital to our success. We are looking to transform the way people manage their own health – empowered, supportive communities and innovative digital solutions will be two key elements to this change.

Our strategy is aligned to the national priorities for the NHS, as well as the ambitions set out in the Dorset Integrated Care Partnership’s strategy Working Better Together. We believe strongly in the power of partnership and that we can achieve more together as two trusts, playing our part alongside partners in the wider health and care system.

Our vision, mission and objectives clearly reflect our renewed focus on improving population health, working in partnership, making the very best use of our resources and supporting, developing and retaining our people.

Central to this strategy is our commitment to inclusion and  belonging and to ensuring that we address the inequalities we know exist in health outcomes for some communities and groups.

We also recognise that as large organisations we can make a positive contribution to society, supporting our communities and our economy to thrive by adding social value.

Our objectives will guide us in achieving the strategic outcomes we set, underpinned by robust delivery plans and a structured approach to transforming and improving our services.

Thank you to everyone who gave their views as we developed this strategy. We will continue to evolve our approach and will keep the conversation going to ensure local people are at the heart of all we do.