A group of representatives with appropriate experience from the local community have formed a group called the Wareham Healthcare Forum Group.  The group members are:

• Sheila Lancefield (Chair)
• Gabrielle Henstridge
• Jayne Hutchings (ex-officio)
• Chris Auburn
• Anne Laugharne
• Peter Salmon

Although the Forum managed to get the inside of the surgery building refurbished, it was clear that the actual building was well past its “best-by” date. In 2015, the Chair started approaching the then Dorset County Council to see if the old Middle School grounds could be used for a new surgery building. Since then, it became clear that the Hospital outpatients’ clinics and the Health and Social team could all be based, with the Wareham Surgery team, in a HUB on that land.  Members of the Forum and the Chair, who are also members of the Friends of Wareham Hospital, have attended meetings, sat on Board meetings, written letters and generally kept the pressure up to persuade the now Dorset Council, Dorset Healthcare Trust and the ICNto bring about their dream of a fully integrated HUB. In 2022 Dorset Healthcare Trust pulled out very suddenly so we are now in the lengthy process of getting only a new surgery built on the old Middle School grounds.

You may see Forum members at the Flu clinics where they help with “crowd control”!!

Since the six GP Surgeries form a Purbeck Network, the PPGs have also linked up. They cover Corfe Castle, Swanage, Sandford, Wool, Bere Regis and Wareham. The Leads of these PPGs meet on Teams at regular intervals to share news and to keep in touch with any Network initiatives.

We also have a Virtual PPG where no meetings are held but the members are kept up to date with network news and they also communicate by email. If you are interested in joining this virtual group, there is a form you can access on the website.

In the summer of 2020, we started a Purbeck Youth PPG to encourage young people aged 13-18 to get involved in shaping services. They have already pinpointed mental health as a priority and have gained funding for a counsellor and  for trips out, all to help those with anxiety and depression. We would welcome more members.