Friends of Brighton and Hove Hospitals

Friends of Brighton & Hove Hospitals work to provide innovative new equipment as well as patient comforts in hospitals and healthcare facilities across the city.

The Friends also act as a 'link', communicating information and raising awareness about healthcare services in our hospitals and the local community.

The Friends (formerly the League of Hospital Friends) are one of the longest established charitable organisations in Brighton & Hove. In the last 60 years, the Friends have raised over £13 million (in real terms) to provide innovative new equipment and enhance patient services for all of us. Almost everyone will at some time be 'a patient' and we work to ensure the services provided are the best they can be.

Examples of equipment purchased by Friends of Brighton & Hove Hospitals include:
• patient hoists to allow stroke patients to spend time out of bed.

• a viscoelastography machine which measures clot build up in surgical and trauma patients, permitting faster treatment.

• BIPAP machines and nebulisers for respiratory patients.

• bladder scanners.

• a vein finder to allow clinicians to locate difficult veins.

• a cross-trainer and treadmill for use by the Osteoarthritis and Back Rehabilitation groups.

More recently during lockdown they funded i-Pads, MP3's, DVD players, digital radios and colouring books to help patients keep entertained. They also supported staff by providing staff welfare packs.

They have also provided a 2 year legacy funding  of £200,000 to set up an innovative cardiology service.

Volunteering is at the centre of all the work of Friends of Brighton & Hove Hospitals. Our Trustees are all volunteers and we also welcome help at:

• The Friends Café at the Park Centre for Breast Care is open from Monday to Thursday 9.30 - 1.30 (following current guidelines) and is a service much appreciated by patients and service users.
 

Friends of Brighton & Hove Hospitals also sell a number of hospital history books by Harry Gaston which offer a fascinating insight into historical care in our City.

The Friends of Brighton and Hove Hospitals benefit from Attend membership, which includes comprehensive charity insurance cover. For more information, or to join, please click here.