HOSPITALLER, JOHN TALBOT'S REPORT
December 2009

Our Chairman, Mr John Talbot, visited the Hospital in Jerusalem in December.  Here, he provides us with a brief review of 2009 and a look ahead to events in 2010. 

1. Palestinian Authority

There was a major reduction in referrals from the Palestinian Authority into the Hospital towards the end of 2009, which continues to this day.  It is clear that this policy applies to many other NGO Hospitals both in the West Bank and Jerusalem.  There has been considerable political pressure exerted on the PA Ministry of Health to increase referrals, both from inside the PA Government and notably from the Finance Ministry and the Prime Minister's Office, and we are very grateful to those in Jerusalem, the West Bank and in London who have been generous with their time and effort in this cause.

It is now time to come to an agreement with the PA.  The Ministry of Health does have considerable financial problems and, laudably, is concerned to build up its own healthcare infrastructure.  The Hospital Group’s Medical Director, Jeanne Garth, and the Director of Nursing, Ahmad Ma'ali, have taken an active role in a conference to develop a National Eye Care Plan and we hope to build on that start to engage in a more productive relationship with the Ministry.  The Hospital Group has much to offer – a very long history of healthcare in the occupied territories, great expertise (particularly in complex and subspecialised areas of eye care) and a tradition of teaching and training.  We can exploit these strengths and I hope to be able to report in due course that, despite an unpleasant scare this year, we will advance co-operatively with the PA to develop a model of care that satisfies both parties.

During 2009, we saw and treated 84,329 patients and performed over 3,000 major operations.  There is a slight drop-off in figures as compared to the previous year, accounted for by the increase in numbers in 2008 caused by our RAAB epidemiology study, which was completed before the end of the year, and has not been repeated this year.

2. Finance

The financial position proved gratifyingly stable for 2009.  The tragic conflict in Gaza stimulated a surge in donations in the first quarter of the year and there is evidence that some who were so generous then will continue to contribute.  As ever, we are hugely grateful to our many benefactors.  Nevertheless, 2010 is an uncertain year both politically in this region, as well as financially.  This is amplified by the PA's current policy. 

Our fund-raisers were very successful in 2009, with the targets of £1.5 million in London and £0.8 million in Jerusalem each being easily being exceeded.  There were some outstanding fund-raising events in 2009, notably a concert at Cadogan Hall in London and a gala in Jerusalem in December.  Both of these, amongst many other events, contributed greatly to our funds and we are very grateful to the Ladies' Guild in London, particularly Lauretta Ridley, and Ghada Khoury and others in Jerusalem.

3.  Plans for 2010

2010 is an important year for us as we commemorate 50 years in our current Jerusalem building, although we are now in our 128th year in the Holy Land overall.  There will be an event in Jerusalem to celebrate this during the weekend of 1st October. 

We plan to expand the medical retinal unit in the coming year, and this will be 2010’s focus for fund-raising.  Medical retinal disease is the fastest growing subgroup of eye conditions that we see.  This is partly because of the new treatments available both for diabetic eye disease and age related macular degeneration.  Our present department needs urgent redesign and modest expansion to reflect the growing workload.

Progress in expanding the Gaza clinic is frustratingly slow because of the difficulties under which the local staff work and the lack of access by our Jerusalem staff into the Gaza Strip.  There is at present a new warning about the danger of kidnap in that region.  However, we have, at last, the plans for the redevelopment of the next door building which we are about to rent, once the remaining legal niceties are sorted out.  

As ever, the resilience and morale of the staff in all our Hospitals and Clinics is remarkable.  I have been particularly impressed with the positive attitude of all our staff towards the anxieties and uncertainties raised by the PA's referral policy.  The work of the St. John Eye Hospital Group goes on undiminished.

John Talbot        December 2009