Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust’s purpose is to deliver compassionate and safe healthcare to our patients. We are the acute and specialist healthcare provider for our communities, delivering high quality care to meet our patients’ expectations.
The Trust is the main provider of acute hospital care to the residents of West Dorset, North Dorset, Weymouth and Portland, a population of approximately 215,000 people. It also provides specialist services to the whole of Dorset and beyond including renal services in Bournemouth and Poole, and South Somerset.
It serves an area with a higher than average elderly population and lower than average proportion of school aged children. Dorset continues to experience an increasing total population. The main hospital site is situated close to the centre of the county town of Dorchester. It opened in 1987 and is a modern, attractive 365 bed hospital.
The Accident and Emergency department is open 24 hours per day.
Dorset County Hospital has onsite parking and is signposted as your turn into the site. Due to the current ongoing construction works at the hospital, the site is extremely busy. Please consider this when planning your travel to the hospital.
Parking charges
Up to 1 hour £1.70
Up to 2 hours £2.60
Up to 3 hours £3.70
Up to 4 hours £4.50
Over 4 hours £7.00
Parking for disabled page holders is free (subject to a maximum 12-hour stay) and spaces are located close to all hospital entrances
