PEOPLE in the north and east of the county are seeing a reduction in the amount of time they spend in hospital thanks to a new pilot scheme.

A programme was implemented by partners in the Dorset Health and Care system to improve urgent and emergency services across the county in autumn of last year.

The aim of the pilot is to reduce how long people stay in acute and community hospital beds across Dorset.

Members of Dorset Council’s Health and Well Being Board heard that the programme is on track to support Dorset residents to spend 63,000 fewer days in hospital next year.

Following a pilot across several trial wards across Dorset County Hospital, the average length of stay for people waiting to be discharged from a hospital bed has fallen by two days since April.

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This pilot was then rolled out at Blandford Community Hospital and Wimborne’s Victoria Community Hospital, with patients seeing a reduction in the time they spend in hospital beds.

In Wimborne, there were 13 patients who had a medical reason to remain in hospital for more than 30 days, and through the work of the pilot, this has been reduced to zero through rehabilitation and reablement support.

One hospital lead expressed their excitement and how health and social care teams came together to support an individual with a long length of stay to be discharged.

Councillor Steve Robinson, chair of the Health and Well Being Board and Dorset Council portfolio lead for adult social care, welcomed the developments: “For too long, some patients have been stuck in hospitals even though they are medically fit to be discharged.

“It is so encouraging to hear of this progress at Wimborne and hear how our residents are getting the support they need to leave hospital and live independent lives at home, within their local communities.”