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Friends are flagging
• THE friends of a hospital should exist to raise funds and otherwise support the hospital concerned.
Their committee should act in the best interests of the hospital and seek as much support from patients and the community as possible.
Alas, these precepts do not apply to the Friends of Whittington Hospital, as I have found from bitter personal experience. I have been an inpatient at the hospital on more than a dozen occasions and my grandfather and both my parents died there.
To respect their memory I decided to support the Friends, of whom I had vaguely heard. Well, no details of the Friends could be found. I had to write, not once but twice, to the chief executive before I could obtain a membership form.
I joined as a life member four years ago. Two years ago, the hospital newsletter, The Link, announced the holding of a flag day. No volunteers were asked for, but I wrote offering my services. I received no reply despite the fact that there had been a chronic shortage of helpers.
Last year, there was no flag day. At the annual meeting this May it was claimed that building work prevented the holding of one. After I made a complaint, I was asked whether I would be willing to collect. I confirmed that I would.
In The Link for October was a notice of the date of the flag day. Again, no request for volunteers was made. I expected to be contacted but I heard nothing. On the date in question, I arrived at the hospital at 5pm but found no sign of any flag day.
Because the committee does not keep members informed it will be the next annual meeting before I find out out what, if anything, transpired.
All this is not to overlook the point that normally hospitals have a flag week, not a flag day, and indeed I understand that the Royal Free Hospital has two such weeks each year. I am, unfortunately, not in a position to bankroll the Friends of the Whittington. Despite brittle health, I am willing to offer to help. In four years this has been confined to my contributing some books for sale, and my attending a concert.
Membership of the Friends is minuscule compared to similar hospitals. No attempt is made to launch a membership drive. Worst of all, the annual meeting is held each year at 2.15pm, although the public meeting of the hospital proper is held at 5.30pm. When I complained about this I was told the committee members like to get home early.
PENRI MORGAN
Marlbrough Road, N19
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