A £15million refurbishment of Dorset County Hospital's emergency department is now complete - featuring a new waiting area and better facilities for staff.
The work forms part of the NHS's drive to upgrade hospitals across the country, with the Dorset trust receiving the one-off funding to enhance infection prevention and increase capacity.
The Dorchester hospital has plans to expand over the next few years, including building a new emergency department and critical care unit on site.
The refurbishment provides improved and additional space in the short-term and will pave the way for the planned new building.
The scheme, designed by Medical Architecture and contractor Willmott Dixon, includes two extensions.
One is in the courtyard at the rear and one at the front entrance - as well as refurbishment of the existing emergency department.
It provides a new entrance and waiting area, larger resuscitation rooms, bigger cubicles, a new digital system and better facilities for staff.
Nick Johnson, interim chief executive of Dorset County Hospital, said: "We are delighted to have been given the opportunity to refurbish our existing emergency department.
"Although we have exciting plans for a new building in the future, this is a few years away – so to have some improvements while we develop our plans is very welcome and has allowed us to increase our capacity now to treat the increasing number of patients coming through our doors.
“The department remained open 24/7 while the project was carried out and I would like to thank our staff for continuing to provide outstanding levels of care while juggling the challenges that construction work brings, and also thank patients for bearing with us.”
Richard Poulter, managing director for Willmott Dixon, added: “We are delighted to handover a newly refurbished emergency department to Dorset County Hospital, providing a cutting-edge space for our NHS to continue their brilliant work.
“Furthermore, we have been proud to leave a biodiversity legacy in the local area, while on site we have planted more than 600 tree whips on the rapidly emerging new community woodland at Kings Road in Dorchester, creating a space for local residents to enjoy.”
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