NEWS FEED
The annual raffle held by the Friends of St Leonards Hospital in Fayrewood Ward this morning raised £180 which will go towards buying equipment for activities to help rehabilitate elderly patients who are recovering from illness.
To the Friends’ shock, they recently found out that under new proposals put forward by the Clinical Commissioning Group, (CCG) the hospital they have so loyally supported has been earmarked for closure. Over the years the Friends have raised £1m for St Leonards Hospital and provided equipment, televisions and sinks in all the rooms, footstools, refurbished bathroom facilities and provided a garden and outdoor activities cabin (which cost £10,000) for the elderly and for those with Alzheimer’s and dementia. They also sponsor the activities co-ordinator Judy Martin for two days a week who, with a team of volunteers, helps to build patients’ confidence ready for their return home. This includes cooking, arts and crafts, quizzes, manicures and much more.
Chair of the Friends, Jacqueline Moss, said, “You won’t find a happier hospital. I got involved with St Leonard’s after my mother came here and I found out what a wonderful job everyone does.”
She explained that local people can help save St Leonard’s by visiting the CCG’s Clinical Services Review (CSR) questionnaire online and strongly disagreeing with the proposal to close St Leonard’s Hospital. She said, “It’s down to people power now. If not enough support is gained for the hospital, it will be lost.”
Among many other controversial proposals included in the CSR, Wimborne Hospital would become a community hub and St Leonards would close.
Paper copies of the questionnaire are also available at local libraries and GP practices, so pick one up and make your voice heard. Take some for your friends and neighbours too.
The full proposals and the questionnaire can be found at www.dorsetvision.nhs.uk
