Brackley fundraisers hand over wheelchair-adapted car to community hospital

The car was paid for out of funds raised by the Brackley Community Hospital Trust. It will provide much-needed patient transport for inpatients of the intermediate care beds at the hospital.

Chair of the trust, Caryl Billingham, said: “The trustees, using funds raised by the local community, were extremely pleased to have recently presented the Brackley Community Hospital with much needed patient transport.”

The car will be used for a variety of health-related visits outside the hospital as well as when the patients are taken to their homes for assessment prior to discharge.

"Up until now, local taxi firms had been used. However this was not ideal as not only are they expensive, their available times are also limited because of school contracts,” said Ms Billingham.

“Staff were using their own transport which worked but was not very satisfactory, especially when a wheelchair or other mobility equipment also needed to be carried,” she said.

“Once we had received confirmation that the only ongoing expense which the charity would have to pay was an annual service of both the car and its hydraulics, we set about sourcing a suitable vehicle.

"One was found in good condition and with low mileage just the other side of Northampton and Paul Bennett, our treasurer, drove it back to Brackley.”

Ms Billingham said Signs Engraving had kindly personalised the vehicle for the trust so the vehicle is easily recognisable.

"Although it has been donated by the charity, it has been funded by public donations from the community in Brackley and the surrounding area. We are anxious to spend the money which the community has raised and given, but we need to be sure that we are getting value for money for you and that we continue to accelerate and enhance the NHS services in the town and not just subsidise the service,” she said.

“We remain grateful to everybody who has given so far, however large or small the donation, and we assure you that the money will in due course all be well spent.”