Stawell Regional Health Foundation’s $70,000 donation to support Stawell Operating Theatre and Urgent Care Centre
27 June 2023
Surgical and Urgent Care patients at Grampians Health’s Stawell campus will be the main benefactors from a $70,000 donation from the Stawell Regional Health Foundation to upgrade equipment.
The donation will be used to buy a warming cabinet and four emergency trolleys for Grampians Health Stawell Urgent Care Centre (UCC). The UCC will receive equipment to help improve the patient experience during and after anaesthetic using a high flow oxygen device known as the Optiflow Thrive and a monitoring device, Microstream Cable Co2 kit.
Stawell Regional Health Foundation has donated almost $1.5-million to the Stawell hospital and aged care since the Committee first met in 1989. Chair Graeme Ellen said the Foundation had always concentrated on funding big ticket items that were out of the reach of auxiliaries and other fundraising groups.
“When there’s a shortfall in grant funding, management from Grampians Health Stawell approach us and ask if we can fill the void,” Mr Ellen said.
“More recent examples of this have been the purchase of a $400,000 CT scanner and colonoscopy equipment and tower for $280,000.
“The Foundation mainly raises its money through bequests and donations then gains interest from term deposit investments.”
Mr Ellen said the Foundation was planning to recruit additional Trustees to its six-member committee.
“We like to have the right mix on our committee, including people with a finance, legal or medical background.”
Grampians Health Stawell Site Director Sue Campigli said the Foundation fundraising efforts were vital to services in Stawell.
“The fundraising committees are so important to helping us upgrade our equipment to ensure our patients and clients have access to high quality care close to home,” Ms Campigli said.
“We are forever grateful to all our fundraising groups for their commitment to our organisation with all the work they do.
“We are particularly excited about getting the four electric emergency trolleys for Urgent Care,” she said.
“At the moment we are using pneumatic lifters which lack manoeuvrability. The new trolleys can be lowered to make it easier for elderly and paediatric patients to access and they have electronic controls for upper body and head positioning with increased patient comfort.
“The trolleys will also be X-Ray compatible, have a patient file holder, oxygen bottle holder and other accessories to assist nursing staff to provide improved efficiency at the point of care.”