“The NHS for the Anglican Communion”
Centenary of St Luke’s Hospital for the Clergy
The 5th of July should be a national holiday! On that day in 1948 the National Health Service was introduced. Before then if you were ill, you paid for treatment or used one of the philanthropic hospitals or some larger cities had municipal hospitals. In 1900 there were 2,600 charitable hospitals, today less than 40 remain, among them St Luke's Hospital for the Clergy.
This is not a private hospital for Clergy; the Hospital makes no charges to Clergy patients and operates with a unique charter reconfirmed by The Department of Health in 1994. The Hospital is not part of the NHS but relies on its facilities for x-ray and pathology. St Luke’s is one of the last real charity hospitals in the country. As an ex-patient from Malawi said, the Hospital is a gift to be cherished.
An ex-patient from Malawi to a UK charitable hospital? St Luke’s has a remit to serve all the Anglican Clergy and as the Communion has spread so has the remit. In 2005, almost 10% of the patients using St Luke’s came from overseas – mainly Africa, but also South America, Asia and Eastern Europe. For these patients, with no NHS to fall back on, the Hospital really is a matter of life or death. Why talk about 2005? Well in 2006 the Hospital closed for just over a year for major redevelopment.
St Luke's Hospital for the Clergy has undergone £2,700,000 of essential redevelopment work. We reopened in April 2007 with much improved facilities. The Hospital has doubled its theatres (to two!) because over the last five years patient numbers have doubled. The numbers of rooms have increased and the facilities for elderly and less able patients are significantly improved. The Hospital has also been fundraising for two items that most parishes will recognise; St Luke’s needed a new boiler and heating system and its roof needs major renovation.
By being able to treat patients before their diseases become acute, we can get them back into the parish, be it in Northampton or Nigeria, healthier and quicker than if they had to wait for NHS treatment, or increasingly have no treatment at all. As we say at the hospital we get your vicar back on his knees again as soon as possible. Surely a unique proposition for any hospital!
For 100 years Consultants from local hospitals have come to St Luke’s and given skills and time, at no charge, to support the Clergy. In 1907 the first year open we had 26. Last year we had 203 Consultants from all specialities. It is immensely gratifying to report that Muslims, Hindus and Jewish Consultants along with many different Christian denominations come to the hospital and work together in a spirit of co-operation and dedication. The support of the Consultants saved the Hospital over £2,300,000 each year. An average St Luke’s Consultant donates £12,600 of time to the Hospital.
Our website (www.stlukeshospital.org.uk) details the history of, and the facilities provided by one of the handful of totally free hospital in the country.
On October 18th 1907 the Hospital opened its doors for the first time, please do remember us this St Luke’s day, 100 years to the day that we first provided help to those who help others.
John Cherry
CENTENARY SERVICE FOR ST. LUKE’S HOSPITAL
This merits celebration in every Diocese and we shall hold a special service of thanksgiving and offering at St Woolos Cathedral on Wednesday October 24th at 7pm. It will also be an ideal opportunity to celebrate the Church’s ministry of healing.
We plan to make our Diocesan thanksgiving a time of offering generously to support the Hospital in its dedicated work.
St Luke’s Hospital is sometimes referred to as “the laity’s gift to the clergy”. It would, therefore be appropriate if every parish can be represented at our Cathedral (accompanied, of course by their clergy) bringing generous donations to mark the Centenary. “Parish Purses” will be available.
Further information and details can be obtained from the Diocesan representative on 01633 881927.
Canon Terry Palmer