North Bristol NHS Trust Charitable Funds

The North Bristol NHS Trust Charitable Funds, operating under the registered charity number 1055900, is the official charity supporting the North Bristol NHS Trust, which includes Southmead Hospital, Cossham Hospital, Frenchay Hospital, and other health services in the Bristol area. The charity is widely known as Southmead Hospital Charity.

Purpose and Activities

The charity's core mission is to enhance the health and wellbeing of patients, their families, and NHS staff in the North Bristol area by providing additional funding for pioneering research, state-of-the-art medical equipment, improved facilities, and staff training beyond what is available through NHS budgets. It aims to create a positive impact by supporting patient care, staff wellbeing, and the development of healthcare services across the Trust.

Key Focus Areas

• Pioneering Research: The charity funds ground-breaking medical research projects, such as studies on Long-Covid, helping to advance clinical understanding and treatment options.

• Patient and Family Wellbeing: Donations support initiatives that improve patient experiences and provide support services for families, including specialized maternity services.

• Staff Wellbeing and Training: The charity invests in programs to enhance NHS staff training and wellbeing, recognizing the critical role healthcare workers play.

• Cutting-Edge Equipment: Funding helps procure advanced medical technologies that improve patient care and treatment outcomes.

• Enhancing Buildings and Spaces: The charity works to improve hospital environments to create calming and healing spaces, such as family rooms and refurbished wards.

Maternity Services Support

A notable area of support is the maternity services at Southmead Hospital. The charity facilitates fundraising and donations that contribute to upgrading maternity wards, purchasing new equipment such as birthing pools, and creating supportive environments for new mothers and babies. An example is the funding of a £120,000 family room and the ongoing maintenance and enhancement of the maternity ward's facilities.

The charity also hosts initiatives like the Balloon Mural on the Mendip Ward, where families celebrate the birth of their children with donations that support maternity care.

Fundraising and Community Engagement

Southmead Hospital Charity encourages the local community and beyond to support its work through donations, fundraising events, leaving gifts in wills, corporate partnerships, and volunteering. Their efforts have been vital during challenging times such as the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the importance of strong local NHS support.

Impact

The charity's contributions have led to significant improvements in patient care and staff support, with recent examples including a £1.25 million donation to enhance intensive care services and pioneering apprenticeship schemes for nurses.

The North Bristol NHS Trust Charitable Funds, via Southmead Hospital Charity, play a crucial role in supplementing NHS resources to ensure better healthcare outcomes and experiences for patients and staff within the North Bristol NHS Trust area.

[1] https://www.southmeadhospitalcharity.org.uk [2] https://nhscharitiestogether.co.uk/our-impact/southmead-hospital-charity/ [3] https://www.nbt.nhs.uk/maternity-services/maternity-services/southmead-hospital-charity-supporting-maternity [4] https://www.nbt.nhs.uk/support-us [5] https://www.goskydive.com/charity/southmead-hospital-charity/