A new £23 million inpatient unit has officially opened at St Ann’s Hospital in Sandbanks, Poole, marking the first stage of a major effort to improve mental health care across Dorset. The facility, known as Chaddesley House, was opened on 11 May 2026 and is designed to provide better support and increased capacity for patients struggling with severe mental health issues.
The new two-storey building was constructed by Kier Construction as part of the government’s New Hospital Programme. Inside, the first floor features the 14-bed Chine Ward for female patients. The ground floor houses the Haven Ward, which includes an eight-bed unit for men and a five-bed unit for women in need of intensive psychiatric care.
The project is the first of several planned investments totalling £70.6 million for mental health services in the region. Dorset HealthCare University NHS Foundation Trust, which operates the site, held an opening ceremony attended by Joint Chief Executive Matthew Bryant, New Hospital Programme Strategy Director Darren Crook, and four local members of parliament. Representatives from the Dorset Mental Health Forum also attended, having contributed their feedback to the building’s design.
This development helps modernise the historic site at 69 Haven Road, where the original hospital buildings date back to between 1909 and 1912. Following the opening of Chaddesley House, the next phase of the investment programme will see the launch of a new £17.9 million high intensity environment unit for children and young people on Alumhurst Road in Bournemouth, which is expected to open in June 2026.
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