How you can support the Hospital
Patient and Public Involvement in Health
The Countess of Chester Hospital needs local people's
involvement in the development of our services. A number of
patients and former patients have already given us invaluable help
by taking part in the planning of new buildings like the new
Outpatients extension. The Eye Unit's patient focus group played an
important part in their Charter Mark success by working with staff
to identify improvements. With your help, we will make sure we meet
the needs and expectations of our patients and local community. If
you would like to know more about how you can become involved,
contact the Patient & Public Involvement Co-ordinator, or the
PALS manager, on 01244 366066.
Donations
Staff are not allowed to accept personal gifts of money.
However, we welcome donations to the hospital wards to benefit
patients or staff, according to your wishes. The Countess of
Chester Hospital needs your support to continue improving our
already high standards of patient care and to keep up with advances
in medicine and technology. If you would like to, you can make a
donation by cheque or postal order payable to the Countess of
Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. Cash and credit card
donations can be paid into the Cash Office, close to the main
reception waiting area. If this is closed you can leave your
donation with the ward staff, who will give you an interim receipt.
Please tell us if you would like your donation to benefit a
specific appeal.
Did you know that if you are a taxpayer your donation can be
increased by a further 28p in every £1 donated? All you need to do
is tell us that you are a taxpayer and you wish us to reclaim the
tax on your donation. We will contact the Inland Revenue on your
behalf. Should you wish to make a regular donation to the hospital
for a specific fund or appeal, you can do this through your bank by
standing order. Please contact the Fundraising Office on 01244
366240 for more information.
Alternatively, you may want to raise money for the hospital by
holding a charity event or getting involved in other fundraising
activities. Our staff in the Fundraising Office are happy to give
you any help you need. For up-to-date information on the hospital's
fundraising activities, including details of forthcoming events,
please visit the Fundraising Section
Shaping the future of YOUR hospital
In April 2004 the Countess of Chester Hospital became one of the
first NHS Foundation Trusts. Over 3,000 local people have become
members of the Trust in order to have a bigger say in the
development of hospital services. Members can decide just how much
involvement they wish to have. For instance you might want to
express your support for the hospital by becoming a member and
receiving a newsletter; whilst other members may wish to be more
involved by taking part in surveys or perhaps joining small
discussion groups.
If you would like to know more about becoming a Foundation Trust
member please contact Foundation Trust Membership on or on 5816 or,
if you are phoning outside the Hospital, on 01244 365816. The
Trust's web site has full information about membership at www.coch.nhs.uk