SOUTH Walks House is to be used as hospital clinics for the next 20 years after Dorset Council and the NHS shook hands on a deal worth an estimated £7 million for the lease of the building.

The former council offices in Dorchester will become a long-term base for Dorset County Hospital to operate outpatient services in a bid to reduce NHS waiting times in the county.

The hospital has already been using the building on a temporary basis. Dorset Council has now confirmed the authority is leasing South Walks House to the NHS for £350,000 per year on a 20 year lease agreement.

A DCH spokesperson said the full details of clinics at the building are still being discussed - but that DCH will use South Walks House for a combination of clinical and office purposes, providing a central and easily accessible location and enabling the hospital to maximise the use of clinical space on its main site.

"This move to bring health to the high street is part of efforts to make access to NHS services more convenient for local people," the spokesperson added.

The lease covers full use of the building, excluding the library and learning centre which will continue to operate as normal and provide the main Dorset Council customer service point in Dorchester.

Dorset Council said that South Walks House has been successfully used over the past six months by the hospital and other NHS partners as an Outpatient Assessment Centre, with rapid access clinics based at the ground floor as part of a county-wide effort to tackle NHS waiting lists. At the height of the pandemic the building hosted walk-in vaccination clinics, one of the first to be established in the local area.

Councillor Tony Ferrari, portfolio holder for Economic Growth, Property and Assets, said: “I’m delighted that we’ve agreed a fantastic use for this important building in the centre of Dorchester. This lease will ensure great use of the building over the coming years, provide easily accessible health services for residents, will give a boost to the town centre’s economy when more staff are working from the site, and provide non-seasonal high value employment in Dorset for decades into the future. We are pleased to work together across the public sector to provide good services and good value to residents.”

Nick Johnson, interim chief executive at Dorset County Hospital, said: “South Walks House has been a terrific addition to the Trust’s facilities over the last six months, so we’re really pleased to have agreed a longer-term lease, which will also allow us to use more of the building.

“It will support plans to tackle waiting lists for elective surgeries and allow us to maximise use of clinical space on the hospital site, as well as offer opportunities to provide integrated care services with our partners.

“While our main aim is to provide outstanding care, we’re also committed to making a positive impact within the local community through our Social Value Pledge. We hope that using South Walks House to treat patients and as office space for staff will also help increase footfall on the high street and support local businesses.”