The Friends of Darlington Memorial Hospital
The Trust was established in December 1977 following a discussion with CVS Darlington, the Darlington Borough Council and Attend; with the latter two organisations providing start-up funding.
Friends of Darlington Memorial Hospital work to provide free transport for patients at the Darlington Memorial Hospital who experience travel difficulties. With approximately 60% of the hospital’s patients living in rural areas, public transport is often difficult to obtain. Duly, the Trust is dedicated towards collecting patients from their homes, driving them to their hospital appointments and taking them home soon after treatment. This is achieved through the help of 12 volunteer drivers who use their own cars free of charge. With the help of their 12 drivers, the Friends are achieving their original objectives and are providing transport for up to 120 patients each week. Since the scheme started, they have catered for approximately 62,000 patients. Not only does the Trust benefit patients, they also benefit the hospital in multiple ways. With scheduled transport, patients arrive on time which means that unattended appointments are reduced. In addition, there is a reduction in overnight stays as drivers can bring patients in as early as 8am. This allows the hospital to use space for those who are in great need of it.
The success of the service has resulted in the Friends being awarded the CVS Award; this award recognises work that makes a difference in the community in which it operates. Additionally, the charity is also invited to aid discussions about introducing similar schemes in other hospitals. Not only does the Trust benefit patients, they also benefit the hospital in multiple ways.
As well as the transport service the Friends also provide equipment for the hospital. Current Chairman, Alan Charlton, who has been in the role for 22 years and who received an MBE in 2006 for his 'Contribution to the Community', said, "The Friends of Darlington Memorial Hospital is run entirely by volunteers for the benefit of patients and we're delighted to be marking our 70th birthday. We do whatever we can to support the excellent work of County Durham & Darlington NHS Foundation Trust's teams by helping their patients and we work closely with the wards and departments at the hospital. Our very popular and successful volunteer car service, for instance, has been bringing patients to their appointments at Darlington Memorial Hospital, then taking them home again afterwards, since 1997. It's entirely free, although many people kindly make a donation. Each year, the service helps around 7,000 patients.
"Over the years we've been fortunate in benefiting from the generosity of local people who have made donations and bequeathed money to us. This has enabled us, in the last 20 years alone, to purchase medical equipment worth over £2m for the benefit of patients using Darlington Memorial Hospital."
The milestone was marked by a celebration attended by Mrs Sue Snowden, Lord Lieutenant of County Durham, who unveiled a plaque. Not only does the Trust benefit patients, they also benefit the hospital in multiple ways. With scheduled transport, patients arrive on time which means that unattended appointments are reduced. In addition, there is a reduction in overnight stays as drivers can bring patients in as early as 8am. This allows the hospital to use space for those who are in great need of it.
Created 14th January 2013. Updated 2021
The Friends of Darlington Memorial Hospital benefit from Attend membership, which includes comprehensive charity insurance cover. For more information, or to join, please click here.
