Patients with Additional Needs

Coming into hospital

You can find us at:

Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Williams Avenue
Dorchester
Dorset DT1 2JY

The telephone number for the hospital switchboard is 01305 25150.

More information is on our Travelling to Dorset County Hospital page.

How to find the ward or department you need

If you go to main reception at the main entrance North Wing, Level 1, there will be someone there who can help you find your way.

A digital illustration of an NHS hospital building with a modern design, featuring a curved façade with blue checked patterns and rectangular stone structures.

Coming into hospital for treatment and care, or for an appointment, can be frightening, confusing and stressful.

We hope information in this section will provide all the information you need.

You can ask staff to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ to help improve your hospital experience.

A person in a wheelchair looking at a smartphone, with thought bubble saying "I need ...", next to icons including a clock and an 'easy read' document.

This could include things like:

Help with communication
If you get very scared
If you need a quiet space to wait.

Find more information about hospital care and reasonable adjustments on the Mencap website.

An iPhone screen displaying a keypad for dialling phone numbers, with digits 1 through 9 arranged in three rows and associated letters beneath each digit.

If you would like to talk to someone about your admission or appointment before you come in please contact:

Candi Sidey, Learning Disability and Autism Acute Health Facilitator on 01305 253274
The Patient Experience Team on 0800 7838058

They can put you in contact with the right department to help smooth your journey.

Changing Places facility

A small building with Changing Places written on a blue sign on the front.

Our Changing Places facility is located outside near the North Wing entrances and Portesham Unit. The facility is available for use 24 hours a day and can only be accessed with a radar key. If you need to borrow a key, we can help.

If you need to borrow a RADAR key, please go to the reception desk (or the switchboard hatch out of hours) in North Wing, Entrance 1.

Patient information leaflets

Access our patient information leaflets.

National leaflets
Advice for People who Have Been Hurt by the NHS – NHS Resolution

Video tours

We had put together a selection of videos that we hope will help prepare you for your visit to Dorset County Hospital.