MEDICAL COMPENSATION CLAIM SPECIALISTS 
Sadly, over the years, Dorset hospitals have been responsible for far too many serious medical errors. But if you have been the victim of a medical mistake, our medical negligence solicitors could help you claim compensation.
Victim of a medical mistake? Call our specialist medical negligence solicitors now on [01202] 834450 – for FREE phone advice and a FREE first appointment.
VICTIM OF A MEDICAL MISTAKE? WHAT DO I DO?
Medical negligence claims can very complex and if you have been a victim of a medical error the last thing that you want is to place your claim in hands of a solicitor who doesn’t specialise in this area of law.
DO I NEED SPECIALIST MEDICAL NEGLIGENCE SOLICITORS?
Yes. To win the compensation you are entitled to, you really do need specialist solicitors.
Why? In addition to having to deal with the complex law and procedure regarding any medical negligence claim, the solicitor you instruct is going to need a good understanding of medical concepts – in order to do a proper job of examining your hospital and GP notes, medical reports and x-rays, which is an essential part of building the evidence to support your case.
So when you instruct Bonallack & Bishop, you can do so in the secure knowledge that you’re appointing a long est law firm with genuine medical negligence specialists – not just a faceless helpline run hundreds of miles away and manned by unqualified junior staff.
NHS league tables September 2025 update – Dorset Hospitals could do better
In the September 2025 NHS hospital league tables, both acute trusts serving Dorset didn’t do that well when compared with hospitals nationally.
Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust ranked 48th out of 134, while University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust—which runs Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch hospitals—ranked 67th out of 134.
Dorset County has not faced major safety warnings, but its ranking shows there is room for improvement, especially in managing waiting times.
At University Hospitals Dorset, the Care Quality Commission has highlighted concerns in recent years about A&E crowding and patient flow at Bournemouth and Poole, which remain under pressure despite some improvements.
For patients in Dorset, this means care can vary: some services perform well, but league results and inspection reports show there are still weaknesses that can affect individual experiences.
If you have suffered harm because of poor treatment at either trust, your case deserves careful review.
DORSET MEDICAL NEGLIGENCE – THE PROBLEMS ARE NOTHING NEW
Dorset hospitals have had problems for many years. To give you an idea of how sadly common medical errors are in Dorset, here are some statistics for Dorset County Hospital in Dorchester.
According to figures released by the NHS in April 2014, the hospital had been found guilty and had to pay compensation for a remarkable 76 separate medical negligence claims over the previous five years. The total compensation paid out on behalf of Dorset County Hospital to victims of medical mistakes in this period exceeded £6 million and involved 17 errors with diagnosis and 26 errors made during surgery or other treatments.
DORSET HOSPITALS – OTHER RECENT SAFETY AND INSPECTION FINDINGS
University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust has been inspected by the Care Quality Commission several times since its creation.
Inspectors have noted pressures on urgent and emergency care, with Royal Bournemouth Hospital in particular facing long waiting times and concerns about overcrowding. Maternity services across Dorset have faced mixed ratings, with some units requiring improvement in staffing and leadership.
And some of the worst mistakes made by Dorset hospitals involve what are known as “Never Events”. The wording is clear – these are simply events that should never have happened – like medical staff removing the wrong limb or leaving medical instruments inside a patient after surgery. And worryingly, there have been a number of these incidents reported in Dorset hospitals in recent years. These include wrong-site procedures and retained foreign objects after surgery. While such incidents are rare, they are serious enough to trigger national reporting and internal investigation.
MEDICAL NEGLIGENCE SOLICITORS – PAYING YOUR LEGAL BILL – NO WIN NO FEE AVAILABLE
There is no need to worry about paying your legal fees when you instruct us – that’s because our medical negligence solicitors can run your claim for medical compensation using a no win no fee agreement.
DORSET – HOSPITAL AND HOME VISITS AVAILABLE
If you cannot travel, one of our experienced medical negligence team can arrange to visit you either at home or in the hospital throughout Dorset, Wiltshire, Somerset and Hampshire. Alternatively, you can arrange to meet one of our team in one of our 4 offices in Wiltshire and Hampshire – or you can simply instruct us using the phone, email or video call – whatever suits you.
MEDICAL NEGLIGENCE IN DORSET – NOT ISOLATED ERRORS
Historically, hospitals in Dorset spent years hitting the news for many wrong reasons recently. In 2013, doctors at Royal Bournemouth Hospital signed a ‘do not resuscitate’ order on a 79-year-old patient without even informing her family. Unfortunately, this wasn’t an isolated incident.
In 2014 it was discovered that a psychiatric hospital in Dorset — Canford Cliffs in Poole — had no intensive care beds for women and was routinely sending patients to Bradford, Manchester and other areas of the country for treatment.
Back in 2015 the Care Quality Commission (CQC) – which is the independent regulator of health and social care in England – found that Dorset County Hospital completely failed to meet the basic standards in 3 out of 5 categories. But don’t just take our word for it.
But the good news is, despite some major errors, things seem to have improved. Here is a summary of the latest CQC findings for Dorset hospital
| Hospital / Trust | Overall CQC Rating at September 2025 | Key Service Ratings / Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dorset County Hospital (Dorchester) | Requires Improvement | Safe & Well-led require improvement; Maternity also Requires Improvement |
| Royal Bournemouth Hospital | Not rated overall (historic Good) | ‘Safe’ Requires Improvement; Surgery currently Requires Improvement |
| Poole Hospital | Requires Improvement | Maternity rated Inadequate; Surgery Requires Improvement; Medical care Good |
| Dorset HealthCare (Community Services) | Outstanding | Rated Outstanding overall, with all key domains Good or better |
DORSET HOSPITALS – RECENT CASES AND INQUESTS
Several recent inquests in Dorset have highlighted concerns about patient safety. In 2022, a coroner raised concerns following the death of a patient whose sepsis was not recognised quickly enough at Dorset County Hospital.
Another inquest examined the care of a patient with mental health needs under the care of Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust, raising issues about communication and follow-up.
In Poole, there have been claims relating to delays in cancer diagnosis and mismanagement of surgical complications. Local media have also reported cases of delayed ambulance handovers contributing to poor outcomes at Bournemouth and Poole hospitals.
MEDICAL ERRORS – WHAT THIS MEANS FOR PATIENTS IN DORSET
Dorset residents receive care across several sites, and while the majority of treatment is safe, there have been repeated warnings about the pressures facing hospitals. Issues such as delayed diagnosis, surgical errors, and maternity risks continue to appear in local cases and inspection reports.
If you have been affected by mistakes in medical treatment in Dorset, it is important to seek specialist advice. Our team of medical negligence solicitors can review your records, explain your options, and advise whether you may have a strong claim for compensation.
DON’T PUT OFF TAKING LEGAL ADVICE – CALL US NOW
Medical negligence, like other types of compensation claims, is subject to strict time limitations – which means that if you delay making your claim, you could end up losing the right to claim the financial compensation that you are entitled to. So don’t delay – get in touch with our expert team today.
CONTACT OUR DORSET MEDICAL NEGLIGENCE SOLICITORS
Our team of expert medical negligence solicitors are fully trained specialists. They are very experienced and can help you to the compensation you deserve for any injury sustained as a result of medical incompetence or error. You will find them approachable and sympathetic with a breadth and depth of professional knowledge more than sufficient to deal with the most testing and complex of claims.
FREE MEDICAL NEGLIGENCE ADVICE? CALL (01202) 834450 OR FREEPHONE 0800 1404544
Your initial telephone advice and the first appointment are absolutely FREE with no obligation and no strings attached – so why not call our team today if you think that you might be entitled to compensation for a medical error.
- Call us on [01202] 834450 or
- Complete the contact form below