Gully’s Place

Across Dorset, there are around 400 infants, children and young people with a life-limiting or life-threatening illness.

The Gully’s Place Charity has been developed to support children and young people with life-limiting conditions from the point of diagnosis, providing care in the hospital, at home and within the community.

A bear holding a read heart-shaped balloon. Written underneath is 'Gully's Place'.

Gully’s Place suites

Gully’s Place suites provides families with a private place within a hospital setting, with the reassurance and comfort of having expert care at hand.

There are currently two Gully’s Place suites, one which opened at Poole Hospital in 2010 and another at Dorset County Hospital in 2016. Located on the children’s wards, the suites provide home from home accommodation for families in a private area.

The suite provides a place of privacy and dignity for end-of-life care for children and young people with a complex diagnosis, life-limiting illness, life-threatening illness. It also offers support for children, young people and their families who have unexpectantly died within the community or those who require compassionate extubation where care can be delivered closer to home.

In addition to the suites located at Poole Hospital and Dorset County Hospital, Gully’s Place also provides resources, equipment and services to support children with life-limiting or life-threatening illness and provides long-term support for bereaved families.

The charity supports the Gully’s Place service through the provision of:

Gully’s Place suites at Poole Hospital and Dorset County Hospital
Specialised medical and therapy equipment
Resource materials and memory making keepsakes for families
Support for families who choose end of life care at home or hospital (Gully’s Place)
Bereavement support groups/Annual Remembrance Services
Gully’s Place Beach Hut Retreat at Sandbanks.

Gully’s Place at DCH

Gully’s Place is a purpose-designed space, located in the children’s ward (Kingfisher Ward) at Dorset County Hospital.

It has two bedrooms, a lounge area and private tea and coffee making facilities, and a separate toilet.

The aim of the suite is to provide privacy and dignity for our patients and their families, and it is used in the following situations:

For patients requiring palliative and end-of-life care alongside memory making
Cases where there has been a sudden death of a child or young person in the community, emergency department or on the children’s unit, the child is brought to Gully’s Place. This provides a comfortable and appropriate environment for the family to be with their child and provide privacy in coroner’s cases, where police interviews may be necessary
As a transition to home area for children with complex health needs.