Alma Road Surgery Charitable Trust
(registered charity number 296849)
The Charitable Trust was formally established in 1987 in order to administer funds primarily donated by supporters of the
Alma Road Surgery by purchasing, or at least contributing towards the cost of, equipment, facilities and services not normally provided by the statutory authorities. Its direct aim, therefore, is to improve the patient experience at the Surgery.
Some of the well-established provisions have included:
· The blood-pressure monitor and drinking water supply in the waiting area
· Chair-risers to assist elderly patients
· Diabetes monitoring equipment
· Pulse-oximeters (clipped on the finger to show oxygen levels and pulse rate)
The Trust’s brief has recently been extended to cover support for events on healthcare issues, in conjunction with the recently established Patient Participation Group (PPG), as well as developments at the Practice and the publication of newsletters.
More recent purchases and contributions have included:
· A specially designed chair to use for wound dressings
· Two special phlebotomy chairs
· A second defibrillator
· Digital scales for the consulting rooms
· A vaccine fridge for Telephone House
· A Doppler machine and ECG + software
The current trustees are:
Mike Bull (chairman)
Lyn Bonner (secretary)
Richard Butler (treasurer)
Jane Heyer
Ian Clark
They are looking to recruit one or two new members from the PPG to strengthen the link between the two organisations.
The trustees meet at least twice a year with Mary Orgill (Practice Manager) and usually a GP, representing the Practice.
Pre-Covid they regularly organised a fund-raising tombola at the Annual ‘Flu Clinic and hope to resurrect this when circumstances allow.
A leaflet encouraging patients to make a bequest to the Trust in their will is available at the surgery and on the website.