Charity donation saves unique emergency service

Thursday 16 April 2015


20150416-Reach-project-cheque

The Emergency Department at St Thomas’ Hospital will be able to maintain a unique service which offers help and support to victims of domestic violence, thanks to a generous charity donation.

The Reach service provides a multi-lingual advisor who speaks to patients attending the Emergency Department who have been affected by domestic violence. The advisor liaises with police and housing services to try and help their situation.

The Better Community Business Network (BCBN) has donated a cheque for £18,059 to continue funding the service, which supports men, women and children in vulnerable situations.

Dr Nicola Drake, senior emergency department consultant at St Thomas’, says: “Having staff trained to recognise domestic violence makes the entire department feel more able to broach the subject and to do something to help.  The Reach service is reducing both the risk of recurrent harm to our patients and attendances to the Emergency Department.”

The cheque was presented to the Reach service team at a ceremony held at St Thomas’ Hospital, marking the second year in a row that the service has continued because of the donation. 

James Hill, head of nursing in the Emergency Department, says: “The generous donation by BCBN allows us to build on the successes of the last 12 months, serving the needs of our most vulnerable patients and our non English-speaking community.”

BCBN was founded four years ago by the directors of Henley Homes and a network of professionals across several sectors who have come together to support local community projects.

Tariq Usmani, Chairman of BCBN, says:  “BCBN is proud to partner with Reach and to support its life changing work in providing assistance to disadvantaged people in vulnerable relationships and social support to families in crisis, helping to rebuild their lives.”

Last updated: March 2022

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