The Ramsey District Cottage Hospital (RDCH) Welfare Fund has generously funded three new pieces of equipment for the facility.

The trustees procured two bedside patient monitors for the outpatients’ department, alongside a new set of weighing scales for the renal unit, totalling a cost of just over £5,600.

The two ‘Welch Allyn Connex Spot Monitor’ bedside patient monitors can capture a full set of vitals (blood pressure, temperature, blood oxygen level, pulse rate and respiration rate) in less than a minute, giving users more time to focus on patients.

The equipment is used to measure vitals of every person who is admitted to the hospital, and can even help identify signs of patient deterioration, with automated early warning scores.

The new set of Seca 677 weighing scales cover all mobility levels, including wheelchair users, and can be moved to be closer to the patient as needed. Weighing patients before and after dialysis is an integral part of on-going treatment within the Renal Unit.

The Ramsey District Cottage Hospital Welfare Fund is entirely dependent on the generosity of donors and is used exclusively for the benefit of the hospital, its patients, staff and the essential services it provides.

The Welfare Trustees were formed in 1954 and have always been involved in providing funding for all of the hospital’s departments, but more recently have helped to significantly expand the range of services provided by RDCH for all island patients.

The trust operates with a focus on maximising the impact of its resources, keeping administrative costs to an absolute minimum.

Dr Andrew Kelsey, chairman of the fund said: ‘The trust helps to fund projects for the hospital which can be in five or even six figures, so the cost of this type of equipment is comparatively small.

‘However, when considering just how much it will be used during a service life of many years (helping staff to obtain accurate, rapid data) and how it is one of the many small, but very significant areas that all contribute towards maintaining care, safety and improving the experience of being a patient, then this relatively modest amount of funding provides an enormous “return”.’

Senior nurse within the outpatients department Corinna Haire said: ‘We are incredibly grateful for the generosity of The Ramsey District Cottage Hospital Welfare Fund and appreciate that the trustees have a learned knowledge and understanding of the hospital.

‘Having two new mobile bedside patient monitors means that we can improve efficiency across the whole outpatient service. The recent increase in cardiology appointments has facilitated a need to acquire new equipment and we cannot thank the trust enough for supporting us with this.’

Senior nurse Gerry Hall added: ‘The Ramsey District Cottage Hospital Welfare Fund really understand our needs here in the renal unit and are always keen to know more about treatments and what various machinery does.

‘I am delighted that they chose to support me and my team with the purchase of new scales that can be used by all our patients on a daily basis.’