Charlotte Jefcoate: Mid Essex Hospitals Trust

The only visitor today was our speaker Charlotte Jefcoate from the Mid Essex Hospitals Trust. (See the photograph.) This charitable trust started in 1991 and now oversees all charitable giving to Broomfield, St Peter’s and St Michael’s Hospitals. Charlotte explained that all wards have their own funds under the umbrella charity. Each ward has a “fundholder” who draws up an annual spending plan in consultation with the ward staff. The charity is there to enhance what hospitals already have and improve the patient and visitor experience.

They have initiated a memory tree of life where leaves may be engraved with the names of organ donors in memory of a loved one. The charity has also purchased ultrasound and monitoring equipment and there is an initiative to provide washbags to patients who have been admitted as an emergency. There is a craft group which knit a regular supply of hats for newborn babies. Our President’s grandsons, Thomas and William, modelled these last July!

Charlotte showed us pictures of the project at the childrens’ burns unit where artists have painted a mural so the windows don’t overlook a blank roof. There is also a childrens’ burns fund which helps young people come to terms with their injuries. They organise recreational weekends so the children can get together to enjoy various recreational activities such as whitewater rafting. There is a psychologist available to provide counselling support if needed.

Recently donations and fundraising activities by supporters have paid for the new £60,000 dementia garden at Broomfield Hospital. Charlotte also talked about an outreach project where doctors visit hospitals in Africa to train staff in new techniques.