Our
impact
Help transform the everyday in your local NHS. East Cheshire NHS Charity goes above and beyond standard Government funding to make your local NHS that extra special. From cutting-edge medical equipment to improve patient experience to making you feel more at home during your hospital visit – our mission is to make a tangible difference.
Take a look below for more information on the impact we are having when it comes to providing vital support to our local healthcare services and the difference your donation makes.
New neonatal cots on maternity
Seven new neonatal cots have been donated to the maternity ward at Macclesfield Hospital, thanks to a generous donation from children’s charity MedEquip4Kids.
The cots, which provide a safe environment for parents to place their new arrivals in at their bedside, were donated in time for the reopening of the service in June 2023.
Emma Galsworthy, Deputy Head of Midwifery at East Cheshire NHS Trust said, “It was really lovely to have the new cots for when we reopened back in June 2023 and to see babies being delivered once again in Macclesfield Hospital.
“The cots not only look new and modern compared to what we had previously, but they also provide the women with a safe environment to place their newborn in at their bedside.”
Staff wellbeing
Funds donated to the charity have allowed us to focus on staff wellbeing, including the introduction of the Women’s Health box initiative. The Women’s Health box was specifically designed with staff wellbeing in mind.
We’ve been able to provide items, which include changes of clothing, fans, hot water bottles, sanitary products, and signposting to informative health, wellbeing resources and information.
Staff feedback and engagement with this initiative has been incredibly positive, and the scheme has been deemed as a huge success and benefit to staff wellbeing.
Critical care wellbeing rooms
We have helped fund the redevelopment of patient, family and friend waiting rooms and staff rooms to create calm spaces, which improve the wellbeing of the people we support.
Sarah Hayes, Senior Sister, Macclesfield District General Hospital Critical Care Unit said, “We are extremely grateful and thankful for the donations we receive for the Critical Care Unit.
“We use these funds with thought and care to enhance our patient, visitor and staff experience. Some examples of how we have used these funds are the Critical Care visitor room, the quiet room for staff, wellbeing boxes and patient activities.”
Dementia friendly activities
Ward 9 supports patients with cognitive impairment and specialises in dementia.
Patients with dementia benefit from the provision of meaningful activities, to reduce boredom and improve mood and wellbeing through therapeutic intervention.
The provision of various equipment supplies funded through the charity have enabled the ward’s activities coordinator to run various 1:1 and group activities.
These include crafts, exercise, games, afternoon tea and activities in the ward’s dementia friendly garden which offers a therapeutic space for patients to participate in gardening activities alongside offering a suitable social environment to enjoy together with their relatives and friends.
Staff training
Donations to the charity have provided funding to support and develop staff with additional training over and above clinical mandatory and statutory training.
Over the last year we have funded a range of staff training so that high quality care can be delivered by confident and competent staff.
Staff members who have attended training funded through the charity, fed back that they found the sessions informative, thought provoking and inspiring.
Staff training improves knowledge and skills which in turn provides best care for our patients, which is the most important aspect for us as a Trust and as a charity.
“Macclesfield Annual Pancake Day Race is a blast. It’s brilliant to see people get together, have fun and raise money for East Cheshire NHS Charity. Don’t miss out, get your team together for next year’s race, which will be bigger and better.”
Paul Crone
Granada TV Presenter
“We have a homely, community feel, and our smaller size means we can concentrate on what matters most – the wellbeing of patients, visitors and staff. The charity has recently funded wellbeing rooms for visitors and staff, which really gave the hospital a more personal touch. The charity has a bit more freedom to be creative and make things feel more homely compared to NHS funds, which has a huge positive impact on visitors and staff.”
Sarah Hayes
Senior Sister, Macclesfield District General Hospital Critical Care Unit
“The last 30 years playing my accordion has been an incredible and wonderful experience, having made so many friends, both with the hospital staff and the general public, who through their support and generosity have enabled me to keep raising money for East Cheshire NHS Charity and other local causes. On a personal level I’m very grateful to the NHS staff, who over the years have looked after myself and my wife June who sadly passed away in 2020. It has been a privilege to be a hospital volunteer for all these years, and l still get a great deal of pleasure by playing my music for hospital staff and visitors – I can’t imagine life without it.”
John Jones MBE
Macclesfield NHS fundraiser
“We pride ourselves on being a smaller organisation – we call it our East Cheshire NHS Trust family. We employ a lot of people from the local area and support a lot of local people too, so community and family values are really important to us. We know that staff wellbeing is intrinsically linked to good quality patient care, so the money raised by East Cheshire NHS Charity makes a huge difference when it comes to supporting everyone in the local area, whether it be patients, families or staff.”
Ruth Knighton
Workforce Transformation Lead, East Cheshire NHS Trust
“It’s a privilege to be able to support such a worthy cause and use our radio station to spread the word and get as many people involved as possible. Every penny raised makes such a difference.”
Darren Antrobus
Presenter at Silk FM
Get in touch
If you have any questions or would like more information please feel free to contact us.
ecn-tr.ecnhscharity@nhs.net
+44 (0)1625 661184