The University Hospitals Dorset’s (UHD) outpatient assessment clinic, which is based in Poole’s Dolphin Shopping Centre on the second floor of Beales department store, has proved to be a success.

Opened last year in response to long waiting lists caused by the pandemic, it received high commendation in the Performance Recovery Award category at the HSJ Awards ceremony in London.

It is one of a number of clinics across the county that make up the Dorset Health Village – the other is in South Walks House, Dorchester – and together they give patients the opportunity to also access free health and wellbeing support from LiveWell and Active Dorset in a community setting.

Since opening, as well as delivering thousands of Covid vaccinations, the clinics have seen over 10,000 patients, have had great feedback from patients, and received a number of high profile visits to see how the model could be adopted elsewhere across the country, including from Amanda Pritchard, chief executive of the NHS.

Jonathan Wright, head of patient access for UHD, said: “It has been a huge privilege to represent the Outpatient Assessment Clinic’s ‘Think Big’ team at the HSJ awards this year and it is absolutely amazing that the team, the trusts involved and the Dorset ICS have been recognised for their achievements in performance recovery.

“This initiative has made a big impact on seeing patients sooner and progressing them through their pathways, and patients have fed back that their experiences have been very good.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank the team, staff, volunteers, partners and patients for their contributions and dedication to thinking differently.”

HSJ Editor, Alastair McLellan, added: “I’d like to offer my congratulations to the Dorset Integrated Care System on being highly commended at this year’s HSJ Awards.

“Our awards programme is not just a celebration of success stories but also a platform to shape the future of the NHS. It is always so encouraging and heartening to see projects adapting, developing and improving their services with the vision of providing the very best in treatment and for their patients across the country.”