What The League Does and Why ...

We can all remember, a few years ago all of our Community Hospitals were threatened with closure by the National Health Trust responsible for running them and other services within the community.

Courtesy of Trevor Grahamslaw

This came about because the trust was faced with a large budget deficit and, it would seem, they saw the Community Hospitals as a branch which could easily be lopped off with resultant savings. It took the foresight and actions of a very few to mount an argument against this and trigger a public reaction which prevented the closures. The various Leagues of Friends of the threatened hospitals came together and were instrumental in presenting the arguments in favour of keeping these institutions which are so valued by the populace. In doing so they gained a new respect from the health authorities involved and now have an important say on how Health Services in the community should be developed and run.
NHS Cumbria Teaching PCT is currently the agency responsible for governing health services in the community and it implements a policy whereby as many of these services as possible will be provided "Closer to Home". Wigton Hospital is an increasingly important base for providing health services, some of which were previously provided by the "District" hospitals in Carlisle and Whitehaven. Further changes and reorganisations are coming, as detailed in the new Government White Paper, Equity and Excellence – Liberating the NHS, which can be downloaded here:
http://www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/@dh/@en/@ps/documents/digitalasset/dh_117701.pdf.

The Wigton Hospital League of Friends has functioned for several years now, raising funds to augment the care and comfort of patients within the hospital. However the actual number of individuals involved in the League has remained small and with new challenges ahead, we feel the need to increase our capabilities, introduce a broader diversity of opinion, and disseminate a wider knowledge of the issues involved within the community of the Solway Plain.

What will you have to do?

Just by becoming a subscription paying member of our League you are helping us and it is important for you to realise that it is entirely up to yourself how much, or how little, you become involved in the activities of the League.
You will be kept informed of any opportunities to become involved in functions, activities or voluntary work instigated by the League as they arise.

The Committee

The League is run by a committee limited to thirteen members by our constitution, although additional members can be co-opted from the hospital and community staff.
The officers and members of the Committee are determined by election at an Annual General Meeting of League members. As a member you will be entitled to vote, nominate other members for office, or stand for membership of the committee yourself if you so wish.

The Annual General Meeting

This is usually held in May or June of each year and as a member, you will receive an invitation to attend although there is no obligation for you to do so.
If you decide not to attend, or are unable, please inform the Secretary by letter, telephone or e-mail as early as possible.
If you do wish to attend and are hindered by transport or mobility problems, please inform the Secretary as early as possible and every reasonable effort will be made to make provisions allowing you to be present.

The Work and Structure of the Committee

The committee meets approximately every two months and, sometimes more frequently. There are four Officers of the Committee consisting of a Chairman, Vice Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary.
The Committee will be pleased to hear any comments or suggestions from the members of the League and these may be relayed by any means convenient to you through the Secretary.
Should you wish to attend a meeting of the Committee this can be done by prior arrangement with the Secretary, but remember, as an ordinary member you will not have voting rights on matters of business which require a vote.

Our Constitution

The Wigton Hospital League of Friends is a registered charity (No: 1035E90) and is governed by the Charity Commission http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/

Contacting the Secretary

You may contact the Secretary by letter or email, the contact details are as follows:

By post:

Dr. George W. Brown
Wigton Hospital League of Friends
c/o Wigton Hospital
Cross Lane
Wigton
Cumbria
CA7 9DD
 

By email:

WHLOFS@gmail.com

And finally, you may encounter friends or acquaintances who may wish to follow your example and become a member of the Wigton Hospital League of Friends.
Feel free to pass this information on to anyone who is interested and is a resident of the Wigton & Solway area

Wigton Hospital League of Friends is Registered Charity No. 1035890