Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust

On this page

• Overview
• Person-centred Care
• Care provision, Integration and continuity
• Providing Information
• Listening to and involving people
• Equity in access
• Equity in experiences and outcomes
• Planning for the future

This means we looked for evidence that the service met people’s needs.

At our last assessment we rated this key question Good. At this assessment the rating has remained Good.

This service scored 75 (out of 100) for this area. Find out what we look at when we assess this area and How we calculate these scores.

The service made sure people were at the centre of their care and treatment choices and they decided, in partnership with people, how to respond to any relevant changes in people’s needs. Care plans reflected physical, mental, emotional, and social needs of patients including those related to protected characteristics under the Equality Act. Our review of clinical records showed people were supported to understand their condition and were involved in planning for their care needs and treatment options.

The service had processes to ensure people with musculoskeletal injuries (typically involving bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, or muscles) received diagnostic imaging, such as x-rays, as part of care and treatment planning. Clinical pathways were available to refer people onwards for more complex management such as trauma, head injuries or structural hand and foot injuries.

Staff were trained to identify and review people with 'This is me' assessments, a person-centred questionnaire developed by the Alzheimer's Society used to gather preferences for people living with dementia or other communication difficulties during initial triage assessments. This enabled staff to tailor care needs suitable for people with reasonable adjustments.

People who were carers of others were supported across the Trust’s MIUs and community hospitals through the inclusion strategies. For example, the MIU service formally adhered to the ‘Carers Trust Triangle of Care’ (a best-practice framework developed by the Carers Trust), which ensures unpaid carers are identified early, valued as equal partners in care, and can access staff trained in carer engagement. The service also utilised 'Our Dorset' hospital carer passports, a record which helped staff quickly identify people as carers, granting inclusion in care discussions and access to updates to care and treatment (with relevant consent). Staff within the MIUs were able to connect people directly with a specialised team within the wider Trust, to help assess carers physical, mental, and emotional needs, and could arrange for a formal carer's assessment to be undertaken. This helped identified what support or services carers might need, such as emotional or mental health support or respite care.

The service understood the diverse health and care needs of people and their local communities, so care was joined-up, flexible and supported choice and continuity. The service worked in partnership with other services to meet the needs of people. The service had tailored its care provision to meet the diverse needs of its community, for example, the MIUs were fully integrated with the Dorset Integrated Urgent Care Service, which included 111, Clinical Assessment Service (CAS), Out of Hours visiting services (including GPs and Night Nurses), Single Point of Access (SPoA), and Out of Hours Treatment Centres. The shared management structure allowed for seamless transfers of care between local services with people receiving a tailored response to their needs, such as continuing their care through radiology departments within the Trust’s community hospital to diagnose musculoskeletal conditions as part of their care and treatment planning.

The service also coordinated its escalation processes such as working with the local ambulance service, so if they needed to request the ambulance service to transfer people, they used the same risk categories as the ambulance provider, in order to co-ordinate urgent care more efficiently.

The Trust completed audits to identify people who visited the MIUs, along with other local hospital services, for consideration to be included in ‘the high-intensity user service’. This specific service offered people a range of local health and wellbeing initiatives, to help identify any undiagnosed conditions, as well as provided collaborative working with local primary care networks and community teams, to help to prevent readmission and reduce the frequent usage of healthcare services.

There were established mechanisms for engaging with community healthcare providers. Multidisciplinary meetings were held regularly for people with complex needs such as with community district nursing and community mental health services. The service also ensured longer appointments were available for those with additional needs.

The service supplied appropriate, accurate and up-to-date information in formats that were tailored to individual needs. The service had access to interpreter services, including British Sign Language (BSL). Information leaflets relating to common care and treatments at the MIUs were available in various language formats. Information provided by the service met the Accessible Information Standards (AIS). People were informed as to how to access their care records, including safety information should symptoms relating to their care and treatment worsened. There were arrangements to ensure confidentiality at the MIUs preventing sensitive information being inappropriately shared or overheard.

The service made it easy for people to share feedback and ideas, or raise complaints about their care, treatment and support. They involved people in decisions about their care and told them what had changed as a result.

The service demonstrated an open and transparent approach when things went wrong. Staff understood their responsibilities under the duty of candour and gave people timely, honest explanations and an apology when complaints, near misses and incidents occurred. Staff demonstrated how people could seek support for complaints and incidents through the Trust’s Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS), who offered confidential advice, support and information on health-related matters. Records reviewed as part of the assessment showed safety incidents and complaints were investigated, and people were kept informed of outcomes. The service used these events to identify learning and make improvements, sharing this with staff to reduce the risk of recurrence.

We noted complaints were managed in line with the service’s policy from a sample of complaints we reviewed. Staff were able to identify changes made as a result of feedback, including complaints, such as clearer communication to people such as expected treatment outcomes. The Trust operated a two-stage complaints process, with early resolution prioritised wherever appropriate. Where early resolution was not suitable, could not be agreed, or where the issues were more complex and required a formal investigation, the complaint progressed to a ‘Closer Look Investigation’ (a more detailed, formal review process). Learning from complaints was considered monthly through the ‘Learning and Review Group’ alongside learning from other sources such as patient safety incidents, and quality improvement activity. This supported collaborative working and enabled learning and emerging themes to be shared across the Trust’s integrated community services.

People who used the service and carers had opportunities to give feedback on the service they received in a manner that reflected their individual needs. For example, the service implemented an automated text messaging system inviting people to provide feedback, reducing reliance on methods such as paper forms.

People could physically access the service to suit their needs. For example, treatment rooms were available on the ground floor, and a ramp and automatic door had been fitted to the entrance of both the minor injury units (MIUs) we visited.

The service monitored waiting times and made sure people could access services when needed. People received treatment within agreed timeframes and national targets. For example, data covering the period April 2025 to March 2026 showed 100% and 99.6% of people at Blanford and Wimborne MIUs were treated and discharged within 4 hours. The national key performance target for discharge within this timeframe is 95%, demonstrating people consistently received accessible and timely care and treatment.

Staff and leaders actively listened to information about people who are most likely to experience inequality in experience or outcomes and tailored their care, support and treatment in response to this. Feedback provided by people using the service, both to the Trust as well as to CQC, was positive. Staff treated people equally and without discrimination. Leaders proactively sought ways to address any barriers to improving people’s experience and worked with surrounding organisations to address any local health inequalities. Staff understood the importance of providing an inclusive approach to care and made adjustments to support equity in people’s experience and outcomes.

Staff used appropriate systems to capture and review feedback from people using the service, including those who did not speak English or have access to the internet.

The service was inclusive and took account of people’s individual needs and preferences. Staff made reasonable adjustments, which helped reduce barriers and ensured people received equitable care and experience. Staff understood and applied the policy on meeting the information and communication needs of people with a disability or sensory loss.

People were supported to plan for important life changes, so they could have enough time to make informed decisions about their future.

Staff were aware of how to identify any treatment escalation plans in place such as the ‘Dorset Care Plan’ (DCP) and how to adapt treatment where required. DCPs are a personalised, proactive health and support plan used by NHS and social care providers in Dorset. It is designed primarily for frail, elderly, or chronically ill people to ensure joined-up care and help prevent unnecessary hospital admissions. Staff provided treatment to account for the persons needs, wishes and feelings. For example, providing conservative treatment planning, such as strapping and pain relief, whilst giving clear advice on managing the injury at home, taking into account people’s preferences on care and treatment.