Plans for an 80-bed reablement centre in Dorchester are to be considered for approval next week.

The proposed centre at Dorset County Hospital, which is part of an £80 million programme designed to release pressure on hospitals and return people to their own homes, goes to cabinet on 25 July.

Councillor Jane Somper, portfolio holder for adult social care and health, said: “This is potentially a very exciting partnership with the NHS to help residents across Dorset and we look forward to working with Dorset County Hospital to draw up more detailed plans over the next few months.

“Our reablement plan has the opportunity to make a huge difference to people’s livelihoods, enabling them to go back to living an independent life with their families and in their communities.”

Deputy chief executive of Dorset County Hospital Nick Johnson said: “One of the key challenges for DCH is that we often have patients who no longer need to be in hospital but are waiting for an ongoing care and support package to be in place before they leave. This puts pressure on the hospital, as it means we have fewer beds for people that need to be admitted, and it can also have a negative impact on the patient, as staying in hospital for longer than necessary affects how well people recover.

“A reablement centre on our site would allow us to move those patients who are ready to leave hospital, allowing them to continue with their recovery and free up beds on our wards for people who need them.

“We look forward to working in partnership with Dorset Council on this initiative. It could be an exciting new model of care that helps patients recover more quickly and tackles delays in leaving hospital, allowing us to provide care for those that need it.”