Dorset County Hospital's Chemotherapy Appeal receives £46,000 Rotary grant
Rotary District 1200 have given the DCH Chemotherapy Appeal a major grant.
Last updated 8th Nov 2021
Dorset County Hospital’s Chemotherapy Appeal has received a further boost following a major grant from the Rotary Club.
The £46,000 grant from Rotary District 1200 is funding new specialist furniture and state of the art equipment for chemotherapy patients. In total the grant will fund 28 new electric recliner chairs and two examination couches on the Fortuneswell Chemotherapy Unit and an additional two Phlebotomy chairs.
The grant is also funding 18 infusion drug pumps to be used for chemotherapy treatment. These pumps allow staff to dispense customised medications to each patient in a controlled and user-friendly way.
Abi Orchard, Lead Cancer Nurse said,
“The patients who attend the Fortuneswell Chemotherapy Unit for chemotherapy and other cancer care require suitable recliner chairs to ensure their comfort and safety during their treatment. The chairs are built to withstand a range of weights and have electronic controls that allow both patient and nurse to change the patient’s position as required. The chairs will support patients with reduced mobility who can adjust the chair’s position to make getting in and out as easy as possible.”
Abi added,
“The chairs are upholstered in a cleanable vinyl fabric to ensure appropriate infection prevention and control measures between patients. Keeping equipment clean is vital and has never been more important than now, when hospital staff and patients are still facing the pressures of Covid infection.”
The Rotary District grant includes funding from the Rotary Foundation, part of Rotary International, to match-fund the support from local Rotary clubs.
Stan Jones from Rotary said,
“Our local Rotary Clubs and the Rotary Foundation are delighted to be able to provide this much- needed support to help enhance cancer care at Dorset County Hospital. Sadly we all know someone who has had cancer and for whom the NHS has provided essential treatment and care. We are proud to be able to assist the hospital in its plans to continually improve its facilities for the treatment of cancer patients across our community.”
In addition to the equipment for the Chemotherapy Unit, the Rotary grant is funding two Phlebotomy chairs which will be located in the Hospital’s cancer outpatients department and in Weymouth Community Hospital; both facilities are used on a daily basis by cancer and haematology patients for their blood sampling.
The chemotherapy recliner chairs have already been delivered to the current unit and will be made available for patients as soon as possible.
The Rotary District 1200 club also contributed to the hospital’s previous Cancer Appeal, supporting the provision of medical equipment for the consultation rooms in the hospital’s Robert White Centre.
For further information about the work of Dorset County Hospital Charity and ways you can support visit www.dchcharity.org.uk or email charity@dchft.nhs.uk