PLANS to produce a 'survival kit' for vulnerable teenagers leaving care and living alone have been given the thumbs-up by local health chiefs.

The Dorset’s New Adults (DNA) kit idea won Dorset HealthCare’s annual staff innovation competition, Dragons’ Den, securing £3,000 for an initial 100 boxes to help 18-year-olds remain independent and healthy.

Trust chairman Andy Willis, who also served as chairman on the Dragons' panel, described the quality of all the proposals as outstanding.

He said: “I think the ideas our teams are putting forward are increasingly innovative, with more thought about how we can sustain them in the long term.

“We’re confident all these projects will make a real difference to improving the care and support we provide to our patients and service users.

"We really look forward to seeing these projects develop over the coming year.

Each box will contain foodstuffs, vitamins, hygiene/health products and a blanket, plus information signposting people to a range of advice and support.

It will help set young adults on the right path and make them less reliant on health and care services.

The kit was the brainchild of Abi Clark and Ele Jarrett from the trust’s Looked After Children’s Health Team.