Over the years the League has added considerably to the original aim of providing such amenities as radios, television sets, bedside cabinets, garden furniture, soft furnishings, etc. We have funded building works including the physio department, day rooms, bathroom extensions, sluice rooms, a recovery room, and the recent refurbishment works in Leach Ward, Leatherhead Clinic, GUM clinic (Genito-Urinary Medicine), Outpatients Consulting Rooms, Minor Ops Theatre, Colposcopy Department, and the repair and repainting of the hospital exterior including the overhaul of all the roofs and guttering. We continue to provide a large range of medical equipment for all areas of the hospital.
The League of Friends refurbished/rebuilt the Colposcopy Department, replaced almost all the equipment, and provided additional equipment including an Ultrasound Scanner (enabling it to become a ‘gold standard’ centre of excellence serving the whole of Surrey).
In 1994/5, the League was entirely responsible for providing an extension to the hospital consisting of the foyer, shop, reception area, and three consulting rooms, as well as the complete rebuilding of the outpatients and X-ray departments. We have also provided a large range of medical equipment for the Community Assessment Department (CAU). This has included blood testing and cardiac monitoring equipment (including ECG, and personal monitors that can be worn for several days).
We have supplied the eye clinic with a field analyser, and are in the process of supplying extra equipment to allow them to perform the full range of diagnostic services at Leatherhead following the closure of these services at Sutton.
Hyfrecators (used for dermatological surgery) are just some of the equipment purchased for both the outpatients department and the GUM Clinic (Genito Urinary Medicine).
Virtually all the out-patient consulting rooms have been refurbished allowing a doubling of the number of clinics held at the hospital to the benefit of many local patients who now do not have to travel to Epsom to see their consultant.
Funds were raised in 2010 for a £450,000 rebuild and re-equip of the X-ray department in order to make it comply with disability legislation, including replacement of the X-ray equipment by the latest top of the range digital system. This new X-Ray department was opened by Bamber Gascoigne in September 2016.
So far the League has raised over £2,456,000 for the hospital, and we wish to carry on with this work to try and secure the future of the hospital. We hope to continue with our traditional role of providing comforts to make everyday life in the hospital easier for the patients and staff when the Commissioners plans for the future have been decided.
The League funded setting up and fully equipping the physiotherapy gymnasium. Due to the dedication and hard work of the staff, this won the Community Hospital Association national 2000 award for innovation as recognition of its work in rehabilitating elderly patients.
The equipment has been regularly updated to extend the range of patients that can be treated. The gymnasium was accessed by all in-patients on a daily basis in order to receive intensive rehabilitation physiotherapy, however due to the closure of the in-patients ward the gym is now solely used for outpatient physio.
The League for many years organised weekly bingo sessions for the patients, and sponsored others including ’Pat Dogs’, and a musical entertainer who help make a stay in hospital more pleasant. When necessary, the in-patients have been assisted with clothing and toiletries, and all patients were offered sherry on Sunday. However these activities have ceased due to the closure of the in-patient ward.
The in-patient wards were reduced from the original 4 wards (52 beds) to a single ward (22 beds) which was used primarily for the rehabilitation of patients after a stay in an acute hospital, but sadly this has been closed.