| · The Society (9)
· Birdsgrove House
· Reciprocal registration
· NAWP (2)
· Pharmacy technicians
· Community pharmacy
· Statutory Committee
· Internet sites
· Complementary medicine
· Pharmacy graduates
· RFID pilot
· CPD
Letters to the Editor
|
Birdsgrove House
Time to make alternative provisions
From Mr I. M. Caldwell, FRPharmS
I note that you intend to publish an article in response to the Birdsgrove
House concerns of Philip
Crabtree and Margaret Partington (PJ, 7 May,
p544). In spite of this, some of the points which I made in Council some
years ago during the debates on the establishment of Hope House are even
more relevant now than they were at the time. I think that they bear
repeating.
Critical to all considerations of Birdsgrove is the fact that it devours
money — most charities do. The difference with other charities
is that most have moved to deliver their services in keeping with the
needs of the time. Birdsgrove has not. The house is many things: it is
charming, it is peaceful, it is well run — but it does not deliver
anything approaching best value. I do not want to put anyone off the
habit of adding a few pounds to their retention fee payments as a contribution
to Birdsgrove House but, although the purpose is most worthy, the method
of providing it is archaic.
Once upon a time the UK was covered with a host of convalescent homes.
Some were in mere country houses and some rivalled the largest hotels
in numbers of rooms available. Practically every provident fund, trade
union, staff association, co-operative society, local authority, professional
body and religious organisation had its own provisions. But this was
in the days when specific treatments for clinical diseases did not exist
and the alternatives were rest and “TLC”. The Pharmaceutical
Society was late on the scene — even tuberculosis was beginning
to yield to therapy after the 1939–45 war. The house, thanks to
those who drove the concept, has provided a restful oasis for countless
pharmacists whose recovery depended not on nursing but on rest and recuperation.
On the other hand, there are a number of things which Birdsgrove is not.
It is not easily accessible to large areas of the country; travel from
Padstow or Wick is a strain for someone who is not in the best of health.
It is not a nursing home; it was never intended to be nor is it equipped
to be. It is not a holiday home; the Benevolent Fund would be better
able to cater for any such proved need. It is not cost-efficient; there
are other ways of providing any necessary convalescence as practically
every other such charity in Britain has proved.
Sentiment and charitable purpose are not good bedfellows. It makes little
sense to have a substantial chunk of the Birdsgrove House funds tied
up in property and such a large proportion of its outgoings spent on
taxes, maintenance and, albeit efficient, staff. Sale of the property,
either as a house or as a going concern of the Hope House project, would
release a large amount of capital. Such a sum, together with the annual
donations, should fund a revised form of care for our fellow pharmacists
who suffer ill-health or accident for many years to come.
As for alternatives, the number of hotel groupings throughout the UK
which can provide comfortable, quiet, pleasant and well-catered accommodation
is legion. Using such a group eliminates long-distance travel and most
would be pleased to contract to provide such a service for less than
their rack rate. Pharmacists who were able to establish that their health
would benefit and their recovery would be speeded would be more quickly
returned to normal life. I can assure you that the cost to the fund would
be considerably less per head than that currently experienced. As far
as pharmacists who are unable to meet the current costs of a stay at
Birdsgrove are concerned, it should be pointed out that the costs of
free or assisted visits are met by the Benevolent Fund.
Pharmacists in general have proved themselves to be generous to the Society’s
charities. It is only fair to these donors that their contributions are
used efficiently and to the benefit of their less fortunate fellow pharmacists
throughout the country.
Ian Caldwell
Larkhall, Lanarkshire
|
The
Pharmaceutical Journal