Our team works with the small number of people who need extra health support or services above those normally provided by the NHS. The people who receive these services will have been assessed and will have met the criteria for one of the funding streams we manage.

This is called all age continuing care.

There are different ways people might be able to be supported, and this can be confusing at times.

Our role is to explain the funding that is available to allow you to consider whether you can gain access to it.

The following support might be available to you.

If you are a health or social care professional, please visit our professionals page for information relating to training and how to apply for funding.

Update: Changes to How NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) Cases Are Coordinated in Dorset

From 17 November 2025, The All Age Continuing Care Team is making some improvements to the way we meet the case coordination requirements of individuals funded by Continuing Healthcare (CHC). These changes are designed to make it easier for patients, families, and professionals to get the advice and support they need, when they need it.

What’s changing

In the past, every CHC eligible person was supported by a named case coordinator. Going forward, not all patients will have a single named coordinator. Instead, we are introducing a CHC Duty Function – available during working hours to respond quickly to queries, provide updates, and ensure your package of continuing healthcare care continues to be well coordinated. It is recognized that there may be some instances where time limited input from a named coordinator might be required to help you ensure the safety and sustainability of your CHC funded care. In such cases we will discuss this with you or your representative.

What this means for you

  • Faster responses: The duty team can respond to your questions or requests within 24 hours, rather than waiting for your named coordinator to be available.

  • Access to advice: You’ll have access to a team of experienced CHC professionals who all have up-to-date knowledge of the NHS Dorset CHC case coordination process.

  • Better continuity: The duty system means your care won’t be delayed due to staff absences or handovers – the team will always be there to help.

  • More accessible support: You can reach the CHC Duty Team by phone or email, ensuring you get timely information and assistance whenever you need it.

Our commitment to you

We remain fully committed to providing high-quality, person-centred care and ensuring your needs are met in the most appropriate way. The new duty function will help us offer a more flexible, responsive, and reliable service for everyone.
If you have any questions about this change, please contact the CHC Duty Team at continuing.care@nhsdorset.nhs.uk / 0300 303 4410

Contact us

Email: continuing.care@nhsdorset.nhs.uk
Tel: 0300 303 4410
Write to: NHS Dorset, County Hall, Colliton Park, Dorchester DT1 1XJ

Please be advised that when emails are sent enclosing personal or sensitive information to NHS Dorset email addresses, they are not secure and are sent at your own risk. When responding NHS Dorset will encrypt emails and will advise you how to open them using our preferred encryption method. If you would like further information about how we use and share your data please visit our information and sharing page.

Receipt of post from Royal Mail

Letters sent to NHS Dorset by Royal Mail for the attention of the All Age Continuing Care team may take longer to respond to as staff are hybrid working. Post is collected and sorted twice a week at NHS Dorset’s offices in Dorchester and therefore responding to a letter may take longer than usual. Please note that there is no longer a postal service at NHS Dorset’s offices in Poole and all post should be sent to the Dorchester office at:

All Age Continuing Team, NHS Dorset, County Hall, Colliton Park, Dorchester DT1 1XJ

If you have recently sent any urgent correspondence by Royal Mail to NHS Dorset, please re-send this to us by email where possible to: continuing.care@nhsdorset.nhs.uk

Thank you for your understanding.