With your incredible support, we awarded £33.1m of funding across 128 projects in 2023-24, in our mission to support ground-breaking research and transformational healthcare across East London.
This has ranged from smaller grants, designed to positively impact day-to-day life at Barts Health hospitals, to larger grants that allow for innovation in healthcare and research. We do this with our partners at Barts Health NHS Trust, Queen Mary University of London and City, University of London.
We also continue to invest in the future of research, supporting healthcare professionals to undertake PhD training. Our training opportunities are open to all allied healthcare professionals who want to improve East London lives through innovative health-related research projects.
Bringing the benefits of robotic surgery to more patients in East London
One of our most significant projects this year involved the expansion of our robotic surgery programme across Barts Health. Initially launched with our funding in 2017, we awarded a further £7.6m to bring three new robots to Barts Health hospitals with St Bartholomew’s Hospital, The Royal London Hospital and Whipps Cross Hospital each receiving one new robot.
Unlike more traditional surgical procedures, robotic surgery is minimally invasive and extremely precise, allowing patients to make a quicker and simpler recovery. So far, more than 3,000 patients have been treated with robotic surgery, with our new funding set to bring this procedure to many more East London patients.
Elly Brockbank, Consultant Gynaecological Oncologist at The Royal London Hospital, operating a surgical robot
Celebrating Barts Health NHS Trust staff
We have also continued in our commitment to support the health and wellbeing of Barts Health staff with a new reward and recognition programme. Barts Hearts is an online platform where staff can send and receive a thank you ‘heart’ which can then be redeemed for small rewards such as speakers and wellness packs. The scheme helps to recognise those who go the extra mile in their work, day in, day out.
Over 50,000 hearts were sent in the first six months, including from staff who work out of out of hours because the platform allows 24-hour access.
Safeguarding our future
We’re one of the oldest foundations in the country with origins dating back to 1123. Our track record of careful financial management has allowed us to commit to a funding target of £30 million a year until 2027.
However, only your donations ensure that we can continue to be there for Barts Health staff and patients, through it all.