North Walsham hospital was in the spotlight at the annual general meeting of the community health and care trust which runs it.
Our £20,000 Day Room refurbishment, which the Friends paid for, was among the examples of how fundraising is helping make a difference to the delivery of services.
Some are funded by a central pot of charitable cash held by Norfolk Community Health and Care NHS Trust. Others, like the Day Room, by local Friends groups.
They totalled £450,000 across the Trust last year the agm was told by non executive director Lorna Bailey.
Other projects across the county ranged from a £28,000 worth of sensory room for disabled children to £1000 worth of gardening equipment – as well as dementia champion and health coach training.
The agm, on Thursday September 26, also heard the trust had spent £3.7m on capital projects (buildings and equipment). It is also facing a loss of £12.6m – fuelled by an ongoing £6,1m VAT tax bill issue and revaluation of assets which lost a further £5.2m. Without those two exceptional figures the loss was £1.9m with the aim of breaking even next year.
Despite all the challenges facing the health services, the meeting was an upbeat affair, with some inspirational, and entertaining, presentations from senior executives to community nurses.
The Friends deputation who attended the agm came away realising our work is necessary …and appreciated.
