Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is wishing its long-term partner, Sovereign Health Care, a very happy 150th birthday!
As Bradford-based Sovereign celebrates its historic anniversary this week, the Trust looks back gratefully on its many years of support to the local NHS which have made such a difference to patient care and staff wellbeing.
Sovereign started as one of many hospital funds which existed during the Victorian era, a long time before the NHS, as a way of helping people to access healthcare. And today it continues to support the NHS through their community programme.
From the Trust’s iconic Sovereign Lecture Theatre at Bradford Royal Infirmary, built with a £500,000 donation from Sovereign to this year helping to fund another da Vinci surgical robot for our hospitals, Sovereign has been a tremendous supporter of the local NHS.
Charity Director for Bradford Hospitals Charity, Sharon Milner praised Sovereign for the wonderful contributions it has made to the Trust’s work.
Sharon said: “I’d like to say a big thank-you to Sovereign. What a difference they’ve made to all the teams in the Trust, not just one single team in one single department, but right across the hospital. We cannot do things that we do without organisations like Sovereign.”
Trust Chief Executive, Professor Mel Pickup said the Trust’s long-standing relationship with Sovereign was important and special for many reasons.
“Our partnership with Sovereign has had a massive impact on patient care as their generous donations have helped us fund two da Vinci robots. The advanced keyhole surgery made possible by the robots has been a game-changer in treating patients who require prostate surgery,” said Professor Pickup.
“Sovereign has also supported our dialysis unit at St Luke’s Hospital, which helps kidney dialysis patients become actively involved in their own treatment. The shared care unit has had a positive impact on patients, which is great to hear.
“Our staff are the bedrock of the NHS, and their wellbeing and recognition is very important to us here at the Trust, so I’m delighted that Sovereign has also been a great supporter of many of our staff awards and schemes to help our staff thrive at work. The new Daisy awards and the Acorn badges are just two examples of its generosity.
“And we can’t forget the iconic Sovereign lecture theatre which continues to be a superb teaching facility for our colleagues.
“Thank you, Sovereign, for all your support over the years – it’s made a world of difference.”