Trustees' Meeting February 2024

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Axminster Hospital League of Friends

Minutes of the Annual General Meeting

held on

Tuesday 25th July 2023, 6.30 pm in Axminster Heritage Centre

Opening remarks

from the Chair

Steve Holt welcomed all and thanked everyone for attending.

Steve Holt welcomed the guest speaker, Dr Rachel Wachsmuth,

Consultant Dermatologist, Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS

Foundation Trust and her colleague Claire Parkinson who provides a

dermatology surgery list at Axminster Hospital.

Steve Holt handed over to the Guest Speaker.

Guest Speaker –

Dr Rachel

Wachsmuth,

Consultant

Dermatologist

Rachel Wachsmuth gave an interesting and informative talk about

skin. She explained the structure of our skin, pointing out various

elements within the dermis and epidermis. She went on to talk about

skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema and the new biologic

treatments which were having a significant effect on outcomes.

Rachel talked about the various skin blemishes, moles and skin

cancers which can occur, and what to look out for. She reminded the

meeting of the A to E of self-examination: A (Asymmetrical); B

(Border); C (Colour); D (Diameter): E (Evolving).

In view of the high incidence of skin cancers in the South West

population, Rachel emphasised the need for strong protection

against skin damage, even on a dull day.

Rachel emphasised the Dermatology Outpatient clinics at Axminster

Hospital were very busy seeing between 50 and 90 patients at

fortnightly clinics and that 8 to 10 surgical procedures are carried out

weekly.

The talk was greatly appreciated by the attendees. Rachel asked for

questions from the floor.

Questions from the

Floor

A question was asked about SPF ratings on suncream. Rachel

explained that SPF stands for Sun Protection Factor and refers to the

level of protection against UVB radiation which is linked to skin

cancer. The number refers to the amount of protection the

sunscreen offers compared to unprotected skin. The higher the

number the more protection provided. However, these numbers

were based on adding a thick layer of cream protection. A 4- or 5-

star rating helps to protect skin from UVA radiation, associated with

skin ageing. She recommended products that gave the widest range

of protection.

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A question was asked about the effect of tattoos on the skin. Rachel

replied that tattoos can cause skin infections and other complications

such as allergic reactions. Large tattoos can make assessment of skin

more difficult. Rachel added that even after tattoos are removed

from the skin the chemicals can remain in the body.

A question was asked about why cricketers wear stripes of

sunscreen. Rachel replied that it was to protect the most vulnerable

parts of the face, on the nose, cheeks and lips.

Steve Holt thanked Dr Wachsmuth for her interesting and

informative talk.

Apologies for

Absence

Apologies had been received from:

Trustees

Margaret Pike, Ann Veit, Lynda Porter

Members

Karen Hussey, Keith Dean, Bill Sheppard, Chris & Hilary Sutton,

Maggie Stead, Mrs B Edwards, Mr and Mrs Groves, Mrs Eyre

Minutes of the

previous AGM

The minutes of the previous AGM held on Thursday 26th May 2022

had been distributed to the Trustees and were available to view on

the website. The minutes were agreed as a true record.

Matters Arising There were no matters arising.

Reports

Chair – Steve Holt

Steve thanked Rachel and her team for their support in enlightening

us about our skin. He acknowledged that Rachel and Claire had given

their time to support us.

Steve thanked the Trustees for their continued support and officially

welcomed Julian Hussey who joined the Trustees last Autumn.

The League of Friends continue to support the hospital and have

responded to their requests for both medical equipment and other

support to patients and visitors. One major spend was for a “Hover

Jack”. This is an air-operated bed system that allow a patient that is

on the floor to be rolled onto the jack and then raised using an air

pump to bed height where they are then transferred to a proper bed.

In addition, the League has helped to improve the refreshment

offering for visitors and staff by contracting for a snack vending

service along with the coffee machine we already provide.

Whilst we have made some significant changes to review our future

fundraising, we have continued with our local drive and have been

supported by both our Trustees and residents. Our annual autumn

bacon butties in the Minster Church rooms event was met with

somewhat inclement weather. Despite this, we raised over £200. At

the end of June this year, Hilary and Michael Pritchard from

Smallridge in All Saints, opened their garden with all the proceeds

from the refreshment coming to the League. Thank you to Sue who

provided all the cakes free of charge. This event raised £2,057. We

cannot thank Michael and Hilary enough. On Saturday July 1st, our

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Trustee Gillie George arranged for the Exeter Male Voice Choir to

come and sing to us in the minster, raising a further £430. These are

magnificent amounts which really do help in our continued support

to the hospital and local health needs of Axminster residents.

Steve reported that we must accept that there is still no end-of-life

care facility in the Axminster area. Our previous attempt to engage

such a service fell on stony ground. There are services for end-of-life

home support in Sidmouth and Seaton and we would dearly like to

be able to support one in Axminster. The cost to run such a service

is around £200,000 per year. Driving towards this level of income is

now our “Big Goal.” Whilst we need to continue with all our

fundraising efforts, to enable us to secure continued income of this

magnitude, we need to think and behave differently. Prior to this

year, we have run everything as a group of Trustees – all volunteers.

Seaton’s League has, for some years, employed a manager to look

after their day-to-day activities and fundraising drives. Steve had

had a meeting with the Chair of Seaton League of Friends last year

and following that meeting proposed to the board of trustees that

we look to employ someone to focus on all our fundraising activities

and look to other opportunities with our “Big Goal” in mind. In April

this year Helen Arnold started working with the League to look at

how we can achieve this Big Goal.

Manager – Helen

Arnold

Helen Arnold was appointed as Manager in April 2023. The purpose

of her role is to raise the profile of the Axminster Hospital League of

Friends and to increase fundraising to £200k per year.

Trustees

There are currently 12 Trustees Steve Holt - Chair, Lynda Porter –

Treasurer, Martin Diplock, Gillie George, Hazel Cross, Julian Hussey,

Margaret Pike, Jeanette Ward, Dr Phil Taylor, Dr Sarah Ellis, Ann Veit,

Mervyn Symes.

Due to family circumstances Lynda feels she is not able to continue

with her role as Treasurer so we will be looking for someone to take

on this role. Steve Holt will cover this role until a new Trustee is

appointed. Expressions of interest from anyone interested in

becoming a Trustee are always welcome. Please speak to Steve or

myself.

Membership

Thanks to Gillie and Hazel for helping to update the List of Members.

170 invitations to this meeting were sent out to Members of the

League of Friends. Since the last meeting several of our Members

have moved and sadly, I have been notified that a number of our

Members have passed away. Members have been asked, where

possible, to provide an email address for correspondence to minimise

costs.

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Raising the profile of the League of Friends.

The League of Friends has a new Facebook page. There are 42

followers and over 3000 people saw our post about the Open

Gardens. We have a new website axmlof.com. Thanks to Adrian from

Pink Pigeon for support in this process. The website automatically

updates with news items and viewers can donate a single or regular

amount on- line. Information about meetings with the associated

agenda and minutes, fundraising events etc will be uploaded onto the

website. Members were asked to look at the website from time to

time.

Fundraising.

During recent months we have had 3 significant events. The

Axe Vale Show 17/18th June. Thank you to the Trustees and

volunteers who helped on the stand. Regular attendees to the show

reported that there was a reduction in visitors however donations

and raffle tickets at the show covered costs. It was felt it was worth

attending to have a League of Friends presence at a significant local

event.

On the first weekend in July, we had the Open Garden at Socks

Orchard, Smallridge. Although the weather was a little challenging at

times, the tea and cake proved very popular and Hilary and Michael

Pritchard kindly donated a little over £2000 to the League of Friends.

We also had a performance by Exeter Male voice Choir at the

Minster. Thanks to Gillie and Hazel for organising this event.

Although numbers attending were a little disappointing it was an

enjoyable evening and the choir have said they are happy to do

another performance later in the year. The concert raised £300 from

ticket sales and raffle. We also received £126 in donations.

Moving forwards.

Helen will be looking at developing the Facebook page to take

donations and to increase the number of people who are following

the page. She will look at the use of other social media platforms and

some additions to the website.

Helen will be investigating the availability of other funding through

businesses and charitable organisations. The League of Friends will

be organising some fundraising events over the autumn/ winter. In

the longer term, Helen will be exploring other opportunities such as

opening a shop in the town centre.

Treasurer – in the

absence of Lynda

Porter the

Treasurer’s report

was given by Steve

Holt.

Steve outlined the financial position and made a plea to all present

regarding the need for a new Honorary Treasurer. Lynda Porter

recently joined Trustees as the Hon. Treasurer. She came with many

years of financial experience and we were excited about her taking

control. Unfortunately, due to a change in her personal circumstance

and she feels that she cannot give the necessary time to support the

League. Steve thanked Lynda for the work she has done to date and

wished her and her husband all good fortune for the future. So, we

are looking for a new trustee who would be willing to take on the

role of Treasurer. It is not too onerous a task if someone has a few

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hours a month to spare. We will advertise the vacancy on social

media and elsewhere but if you know of anyone or would like to

come forward, please let our Manager know.

We have our audited accounts from Westcotts which show very

little in terms of transactions for 2022/23. We have, as previously

stated, spent a few thousand on facilities for the hospital but with

our Big Goal in mind, are mindful of our need to retain funds. Our

income for 2022/23 was £12,900 with expenditure of £5,903

leaving a year-end balance of £474,975. For information, our current

bank balance is £475,800.

At this point Steve asked for approval from all members present for

the continued use of Westcotts for the compilation and auditing of

our accounts.

The Members present at the meeting showed their approval with a

show of hands.

Hospital

Representative –

Teresa Denning

Helen Ruse, Therapy Manager

Community Rehabilitation Team (CRT)

As a team Community Rehab have continued to provide urgent

community response and rehabilitation interventions to support

patients within the Axminster area despite staffing and recruitment

issues thanks to flexibility of staff and close and creative working

with the wider community teams to support each other and patients.

Following the pandemic, they have been able to refocus and

continue to build on their work of falls prevention and health

promotion. They have been able to step back up their strength and

balance group which has run since the beginning of the year and

after a short break will recommence in September, providing regular

group therapy sessions at the hospital to focus on strength and

balance and falls prevention. This has been really well attended and

received.

Recent purchase of a hover jack has added to the hospitals range of

specialist lifting equipment. Community therapy key trainers have

provided training sessions on its use within the team as well as

extending this to wider community teams including community

nursing, Urgent Care Response and hospice. They are better able to

support individuals who have fallen in the community, helping to

keep those who can remain at home; in turn supporting the

ambulance service. As well as assisting terminally ill patients to be

carefully and compassionately moved on to a hospital bed for end-

of-life care with minimal upheaval.

Lisa Jones, Ward Sister

Day Surgery/Theatre

The transformation team are looking at referrals to Axminster for

ophthalmic procedures. There is currently a social media drive

advertising that patient’s may be seen quicker at Axminster, and they

are looking at other ways to advertise the Axminster service.

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We have capacity to do cataract surgery all day Monday,

Wednesday, Thursday and Friday mornings. Once a month one of

these lists is used by Miss Irvine for oculoplastic procedures.

There will be a new Team Lead for theatre and ophthalmic

outpatients, Becky Armitage, and she will be taking up her post

during August.

Clare Parkinson continues to provide a dermatology surgery list on

Tuesdays in Axminster.

Michaela Board, Team Lead

Community Nursing

Community Nursing are a small busy team based at the hospital.

Michaela has rejoined the team as Team Lead, after an 18-month

break. The team is made up of experienced nurses and band 4’s and

they regularly have student nurses working alongside them as

placements. The team look after a variety of people, with varying

degrees of health care needs. These include wound care, injections,

venepuncture, continence problems, picc lines, end of life care,

syringe drivers as well as supporting family members. They support

the lower limb therapy service in the hospital, as well as taking

referrals from the Royal Devon Hospital, GP’s, and hospice nurses.

It is truly an honour to look after people in their own homes, when

sometimes they are at their most vulnerable. The team attend regular

training updates to ensure that they have the most up to date clinical

knowledge and skills. As a team they work very closely with the local

GP practice to support all the local people that are house bound for

whatever reason.

The nurses visit people from Axminster, Hawkchurch, Chardstock,

Stockland, Yarcombe, Membury, Uplyme, Lyme Regis, Colyton,

Musbury and even over the border into Somerset. So, as you can

imagine, they spend a great deal of time driving from one visit to

another in all winds and weathers. Trying to avoid potholes!!!!!

The team is amazing, they love their jobs and would not change a

thing!

Shiobhan Pickering, Dementia Matron

Axe Valley Dementia Team

The Axe Valley Dementia Team are now fully operational in our local

communities again, incorporating the Dementia Matron and those

from the Conybeare day care team. There are Cognitive Stimulation

Groups running in Axminster, Colyton and Seaton. This reduces the

stress of the travelling to and from the centre itself. The team have

had really positive feedback from those that attend and the families

since starting in April 2022. Saying things like, "I always look forward

to the group and have great fun." And from one of the families, "He

always comes back in a great mood and he sleeps well that night and

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is good the next day also." The sessions are 2.5 hours long which is

long enough for anyone with dementia.

The team also take referrals for home assessment and support. Even

though they are a small team they work effectively at ensuring

people in our communities with dementia stay independent as much

as possible, stay in their own homes, support the families and

promote healthy wellbeing for the whole family.

The team also prevent unnecessary hospital admissions and expedite

safe discharges of those people with dementia in hospitals.

Following up and using their expertise in supporting people living

with dementia.

Lisa Jackson, Outpatient Manager

Outpatients

Axminster Hospital continues to be a thriving Outpatient centre. We

have created an Ophthalmology hub, which continues to deliver both

general outpatient and procedural work Monday to Friday.

These clinics run alongside a variety of other Consultant and AHP

(Associated Health Professional) clinics e.g.: Rheumatology/Oral

Surgery/Retinal Screening/Bladder & Bowel – to name but a few.

We now have a total of 38 clinics running in Axminster.

We are constantly reviewing our clinics to ensure that we are

meeting the needs of the local population to reduce unnecessary

journeys to the main Acute site.

Our Eastern Community Hospital locations provide essential easy

access for both our local and Eastern wide patients. This allows

attendance to those Services which do not need to be held in the

Acute Hospital for specialist/complex or diagnostic reasons.

The Royal Devon University Healthcare Trust aims to reduce patient

travel as one of our Carbon Emission reduction Targets within our

Green Plan and is one of our considered contributary factors when

considering new clinics.

Zoe Swan, Team lead

MSK/Physiotherapy

We are successfully running back fit classes alongside Activation

groups to help patients recover and then be referred into community

leisure services. We have very good links with all the current

activities that are carried out in the community including the

Flamingo pool.

We have new staff allocated working on waiting lists and are

currently keeping to designated times for the urgent and routine

patients. We are very privileged to have advanced practitioners

specialising in lower limb, shoulder and spines to refer to Axminster

when necessary.

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Teresa finished by saying how proud she is to work with such hard

working, committed and compassionate staff. All the services above

value the efforts of our Hotel Services and Administration teams –

without them, none of the above would be possible. She added that

the staff are very proud to be part of Axminster Hospital and would

like to sincerely thank the League of Friends for their ongoing

support and commitment.

Election of Officers As the longest serving Trustees, Martin Diplock, Mervyn Symes,

Hazel Cross and Gillie George were asked to stand down. In the

absence of other expressions of interest in becoming a Trustee,

Martin Diplock, Mervyn Symes, Hazel Cross and Gillie George were

duly re- elected. This was approved by a show of hands from the

Members present at the meeting.

Steve asked for expressions of interest in becoming a Trustee

particularly the role of Treasurer.

Questions from the

Floor

A question was asked regarding a possible Summer Fair. Steve

acknowledged that this had been a popular event in the past and the

league may consider a similar event in the future.

A question was asked about the Scott Rowe building. Steve

confirmed that the site had been purchased and the new owner had

stated that the site would be used for community or charitable use. It

was not going to redeveloped for housing.

A question was asked about whether it was possible to have a list of

services provided by the Hospital. It was agreed this would be useful

and could be available at several locations around Axminster.

Steve closed the meeting by thanking everyone for their attendance

and asked all to help themselves to refreshments and to a ‘goody

bag’ kindly provided by Rachel Wachsmuth and the Dermatology

team.

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