Designed by Medical Architecture alongside Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust and built by Kier, the new building in Bournemouth takes advantage of its elevated woodland setting to create a safe, secure, and therapeutic environment for patients displaying highly complex and challenging behaviours. Suitable for patients aged 12–18, the building includes eight inpatient beds, day spaces, a two-classroom school facility, treatment spaces, a tribunal room, and enhanced care facilities.
A large central courtyard forms the heart of the patient accommodation, providing a secure and accessible outdoor space. Day spaces, including a television room and lounge, are arranged around the courtyard to maximise views of the surrounding woodland. Strategically located rooflights highlight a series of special spaces within the building,
A large photovoltaic array will generate at least 53,000 kWh annually, and the building is on target to achieve a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating. As one of the early projects within the NHS New Hospital Programme, the scheme has helped inform future projects through forward-thinking buildability and room standardisation. The new facility will enable Dorset HealthCare to provide specialist care closer to home and support networks, reducing waiting times for admission, supporting faster recovery, and lowering costs to the NHS, all within a healing environment that fully embraces its therapeutic setting.
Matthew Bryant, chief executive at Dorset HealthCare, said: “This facility represents a major step forward for mental health services in Dorset. It will enable us to care for young people with high intensity needs in a restorative environment close to friends and family, improving the chance of recovery.”
Yvonne Ophaus, associate at Medical Architecture, said: “Responding to the site’s complex topography and the unit’s distinctive requirements, the building harnesses the calming qualities of its woodland setting to create a sanctuary among the trees, supporting the delivery of care for a vulnerable patient group.”
Matt Griffiths, healthcare sector director at Kier Construction, said: “Working in collaboration with the Trust, the New Hospital Programme, and our specialist supply chain partners, our local team is proud to have delivered this best-in-class facility with Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust – the third such project we have completed for them in the last three years. Drawing on our extensive healthcare and mental health expertise, the team successfully navigated a complex site and technically challenging build, including a steep gradient and a live hospital environment, to create a calm, therapeutic setting that now provides a peaceful space for clinicians to deliver the best possible patient care.”