The Department of Health is extremely pleased to announce an exceptionally generous donation from the Ramsey and District Cottage Hospital League of Friends which will enable the refurbishment of the old Andreas Ward at Ramsey and District Cottage Hospital to create a combined Wound Management and Podiatry facility. The refurbished facility will consist of two Podiatry clinic rooms, three Wound Management treatment rooms, a shared access bariatric treatment room, plus office space and a reception area.
The Ramsey League of Friends has kindly donated £358,000 which will enable Ramsey and District Cottage Hospital to carry out the development of the old Andreas Ward. The renovation will ensure that the Hospital maintains the high level of care and services it provides and the purpose adapted Wound Management/Podiatry facility will provide much improved clinical environments for the Wound Management and Community Podiatry services.
Both services will benefit from the increased capacity and ultra modern facilities that will be provided in their new locations. Currently, the Community Podiatry facility based in Cummal Mooar has only one clinic room; this will increase to two within the new facility. The Wound Management Clinic will also increase from the current two treatment rooms to three clinic rooms, plus an additional bariatric clinic room which can be accessed by either of the services.
Additional to the better conditions for patients and staff that the refurbished Andreas Ward location will provide, through the generosity of the League of Friends, the planned combined location for the Wound Management and Community Podiatry services will also enhance the multidisciplinary working between both services, which is essential in the care of high-risk patients.
Handing over the cheque, Chair of the Ramsey and District Cottage Hospital League of Friend, Leonard Singer MHK said:
'To be able to give this significant amount of money to the Ramsey and District Cottage Hospital is a true privilege. I firmly believe that this donation which is possible because of the continuing support and generosity of the public will enable the excellent hospital staff to work in the most up to date facilities this will clearly be a benefit of patients not only from the north but the whole of the island. Friends ‘committee’ are delighted that these proposals are now to be implemented.'
On receiving the generous donation, Minister for Health, David Anderson MHK said:
'To be able to receive yet another extremely generous gift from the Ramsey and District Cottage Hospital League of Friends is overwhelming. This donation will not only improve the hospital environment, it will also strengthen services provided by the Hospital and will enable the enhancement of the Podiatry and the Wound Management services.'
Work began in early April, and to coincide with the completion of the renal unit in the north of the Island, building work is due to be finished in December. Hospital Manager, Janet Grib, said:
'We are extremely grateful to the Ramsey League of Friends for their generosity, which will enable us to provide these much needed and increasingly utilised services in the most modern setting, where clinical staff can work more effectively as a team.'
