The Henry Bloom Noble Healthcare Trust has appointed Terry Groves as its chairman and announced two new trustees have joined the board.

Former Tynwald member Mr Groves, who succeeds long-serving chairman Larry Keenan, became familiar with the Trust’s work while serving as departmental member responsible for health during his political career. In 2006 he accepted an invitation from then-chairman Bob Dowty to become a trustee.

Now he is looking forward to leading the Trust as it continues its mission to improve the standard of healthcare in the Isle of Man.

Mr Groves said: ‘After almost 10 years as a trustee I am easy with accepting the position of chairman knowing that all of us as trustees are focused and committed to the work of the Trust, with extensive knowledge of the Island’s healthcare sector and the opportunities ahead through developing technologies.’

The Trust was established in 1888 by Henry Bloom Noble in memory of his wife, Rebecca. In 1909, following Noble’s death, the Trust became a statutory body and the provisions were widened to allow it to support both public and private healthcare organisations and initiatives in the Island.

Today, thanks to the generosity of donors and benefactors, the Trust continues the quest to help provide high quality healthcare services in the Isle of Man. The Trust has assisted with the provision of new equipment to enable the latest surgical techniques to be available in the Island, as well as funding research, education and training. It also assists patients convalescing in hospital or at home by funding equipment, healthcare aids and technology, and supports the nursing care of sick, disabled, handicapped or infirm people in their own homes.

Mr Groves added: ‘Originally founded by Henry Bloom Noble to help provide equipment for his first hospital, we maintain these aims, brought up to date of course. We continue to build closer working relationships with the Department of Health, consultants and the senior management to best understand the needs and then to see how we can help with providing such.

‘The advances in technology and the impact this is having on the delivery of healthcare and better outcomes is marked and we are very excited about the pilot project underway around the area of telemedicine within the hospital which we are helping to fund.

‘New technologies are very exciting, but also quite costly and it is only through the help of Trusts such as ours that our health service can introduce new skills and treatments for all our benefit. We rely very much on the generosity of the Manx public in remembering us by way of donations or in their wills.’

Dr Alex Allinson and Helen Booth have joined the Trust alongside Mr Groves, Larry Kearns, Malcolm Clague, Sheila Dean, John Greenwood and Trudi Williamson.

Dr Allinson has been a partner at Ramsey Group Practice since 2002 and is a past president of the Isle of Man Medical Society. He studied medicine at Kings College, Cambridge, and The Royal London Hospital before undertaking a 12-month paediatric rotation at the Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne. He returned to London to continue paediatric training before deciding to specialise in general practice.

After further training at University College Hospital and the James Wigg Surgery, Kentish Town, London, he worked extensively in central London as a GP before traveling to Western Australia for two years, to work with remote and Aboriginal communities, and then settling in the Isle of Man.

Mrs Booth began her career in nursing and midwifery in 1977 after graduating from Manchester University with a Bachelor of Nursing degree. She worked at Noble’s Hospital for 11 years after moving to the Isle of Man in 1989, holding a variety of roles, including practitioner, teacher and manager.

After graduating from the Open University in 2001 with an MBA, Mrs Booth changed career and became Senior Personnel Manager at the Department of Health and Social Security. She also served as Employee Relations Adviser Head of Employment Services at the Isle of Man Government Personnel Office before her retirement in 2010.

Mr Groves said: ‘I am delighted to welcome Alex and Helen to the Trust. Both bring extensive experience in medicine and the management of health services which will be of great value to our ongoing work. They also bring huge energy and a desire to help improve healthcare as far as possible in the Isle of Man.’

The Henry Bloom Noble Healthcare Trust relies on donations and bequests from the public. If you would like to support the Trust, visit the website www.hbnhealthcaretrust.org.im, email info@hbnhealthcaretrust.org.im or call 616108.

Image: (from left) Terry Grove, Dr Alex Allinson and Helen Booth

- Ends -