DORSET County Hospital has had a busy but successful year, a meeting heard.

The trust held its annual general meeting at the former Damers School site, which the hospital now owns and plans to develop in the future.

Speakers included Trust Chairman Mark Addison, Chief Executive Patricia Miller, executive directors and Lead Governor David Cove.

Highlights of the year included maintaining some of the best emergency access times in the country and key quality improvements in areas such as end of life care, sepsis and pressure ulcers. The hospital also maintained its high standards of infection prevention and control

Challenges include meeting increasing demand on services and financial pressures. The Trust reported a surplus of £1.4million at the end of the financial year 2017/18 thanks to savings programmes and extra funding for meeting emergency access standards. The year ahead will be more challenging and the Trust remains focussed on making further efficiencies.

A spokesman said: "Following some queries from attendees at the AGM about Dorset’s Clinical Services Review (CSR) and the recent Judicial Review, the Trust would like to reassure local people about the hospital’s Emergency Department (A&E). The outcome of the CSR made it clear that Dorset County Hospital would remain the emergency and planned acute hospital for the west of the county, with a 24/7 Emergency Department (A&E)."

The Trust’s Chairman Mark Addison thanked everyone who took the time to attend the AGM.

Speaking at the meeting he said: “This hospital looks after a rural dispersed population in the west. They need ready access to comprehensive high quality hospital services. Shortly after last year’s AGM we had final confirmation from the CCG that the CSR proposals were confirmed and that DCH would remain as a hospital offering emergency and planned care to our local population of some 250,000. I am sure that was the right decision and I am delighted that the CCG made it.

“One characteristic of rural societies, and I see it in the small hamlet I live in, is that people look out for each other. It is our continuing ambition in this hospital to be the extension of that principle, of offering personal, friendly care, delivered through the most up to date, excellent professional clinical treatment. We say that we aim to offer outstanding care to people in ways which matter to them. And we mean it.

“Thanks to the amazing work of our staff this hospital did well over the past year. Our excellent ED did astonishingly well, leading the country at one point and always being near the top of the league table. We saw some waiting lists lengthen and we worked very hard to get back on top of them. We had an exceptional record on controlling infection. Finally, we came in with a small surplus at the end of the year.

“We also worked more closely than ever before with our many partners in the Dorset health and social care system. I would like to thank the many DCH people who commit time, energy and goodwill to working together with our partners to solve problems while ensuring that the interests of patients in the west of the county are protected. And I know those discussions can be tough.

“Every single member of our staff, whatever they do, contributes to the success of this hospital and to our reputation among the local people we are here to serve. So it was great to see our People Strategy refreshed during the year. This takes our values forward and strengthens our approach to our workforce. If we demonstrate in actions that we care for our staff, we know that will help them deliver the highest quality care for our patents. Cared about, caring for.”