North Hampshire Medical Fund

On Monday 23rd February Basingstoke Rotary Club received an excellent address from Judith Charmer, Trustee of North Hampshire Medical Fund (NHMF).

Set up some thirty five years ago, the NHMF emphasis focusses on raising funds for specialist and state of the art equipment that the NHS cannot provide, but are key to keeping the Basingstoke Hospital at the forefront of modern medicine and items that will most benefit the community and the nurses and surgeons.  In providing this equipment for the hospital it is able to attract and retain the best quality medical staff and doctors.

Jeanie Caernarvon is Patron and her daughter, Lady Caroline Warren a Trustee. The Trustees meet 3 times a year.

Doctors and Surgeons inform the trustees which items they would like to buy, the benefits are analysed and discussed whereupon the Trust then expeditiously raises the procurement Funds for those items agreed.

These recently included:

• CT Scanner for Radiotherapy this is now up and running and helps treat 500 local cancer sufferers every year with pin point accuracy that damage to surrounding tissue is minimised. Cost £450,000.
• Training Equipment for keyhole surgery where new practioners can practice on chicken fillets to enhance their skills outside the operating theatre. Such has been the improvement in the speed with which operatioins can be conducted that the resulting skill and efficiency has brought the hospital waiting lists down for certain operations.

NHMF is currently needing to raise funds of £272,000 in 2015 for;

1. Endobronchial Ultrasound (EBUS). Need to raise £130,000. So far raised £80,000. Hopefully the rest will be raised by April when it will be purchased. Needed because lung tumours can double in size every 4 weeks.
2. Focal HIFU (High Intensity Focused Ultrasound). For Prostrate Cancer. Need to raise £180,000.
3. Hysteroscopy 4 needed. Need to raise £35,000. Will treat up to 250 patients per year.

The Fund Raising Events they run include Golf Day at Dummer, John Lewis Plant and Gift Fair, a show in London at the V&A with private viewings tickets at £75 each. They also have a Gift Aid 200 Club open up to 200 people who pay £200 each per year.  with 130 members supporting it so far.

Many interesting questions were raised ina Q&A session that followed with President Mark mentioning the Prostrate Bike Ride being organised by Rtn David Curtis. The club could consider raising funds through this event to support the North Hampshire Medical Fund(subject to agreement). Rtn David Moss mentioned the first equipment the Fund provided in the early days was to the hospital eye department when he worked there.


The staff are given an office and a phone but are not employed by the NHS.

Vote of thanks given by Rtn John Upshall with thanks also from President Mark.