Gainsborough: Aim of the JCH Charities Fund Committee is to enhance a patient’s hospital stay

The John Coupland Hospital in Ropery Road, Gainsborough, is one of Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust’s four community hospitals and provides services for the people of Gainsborough and the surrounding area.

And the JCH Charities Fund Committee, which has 13 members, ensures that each patient’s stay is that little bit more bearable by providing home comforts and services including an outside canopied area for patients to enjoy the warm weather, a quiet room which can be used by patients, relatives, staff and the chaplain and providing Christmas presents and decorations for those patients who have to stay in hospital over the festive period.

Committee member, Brenda Allen, said: “We have spent more than £40,000 since we have been in operation.”

“But there are certain items we can’t supply because we are not a big enough charity.”

“We used to provide for the patients what the NHS didn’t but now we also contribute towards equipment that the NHS need but can’t afford, we ask that they pay half.”

“We are here to enhance patient care.”

All the committee are volunteers and give up a lot of their spare time to provide this service.

Honorary President, David Lomas, said: “People give up a lot of their spare time to help us with what we achieve.”

“No one gets paid and we don’t get expenses.”

“We have been going informally since 2002 and then the following year we formed the committee.”

“We aim to make a patients stay in hospital a little bit more bearable.”

“The hospital is so much better than it was 12 years ago.”

“We have far more clinics so people don’t have to travel to Lincoln far as many treatments.”

The committee have also helped to support much more home care for the patients so they can be in their comfort of their own home, rather than travelling and staying in the hospital.

Scotter Ward sister, Eleanor Ward, said: “The committee work to deliver care at home.”

“Those services have not disappeared, we have moved it.”

“The district nurses service keep people at home.”

“We can now administer chemotherapy at home and we can connect people to IV drips at home.”

“There are a lot of things going on.”

“We are encouraging the district nurses to ask for equipment if there is anything they need to make their life easier.”

The JCH Charities Fund Committee helps to raise funds by hosting a Tea Dance at Morton Village Hall every four weeks as well as other fundraisers.