Friends of Chawton House Surgery (FOCHS)

Why should Chawton House Surgery need “Friends”?

Chawton House Surgery exists to relieve illness and promote health care for the registered National Health Service patients of the practice.

From time to time the facilities provided by the N.H.S. prove inadequate to deal with certain situations causing inconvenience to patients.  The Friends of Chawton House Surgery (FOCHS) has been formally created to raise funds by various legal means such as membership subscriptions, donations, events etc. in order to purchase medical and other equipment for the surgery and to promote local initiatives in health care provision.  Formed at the beginning of 2004, FOCHS has already raised funding thanks to the generosity of its members to enable the purchase of several items of medical and other equipment allowing the practice to carry out tasks for patients at the surgery or for patients to be monitored in their own home, both of which would otherwise require the patient to travel to hospital, and to provide more patient comfort at the surgery itself.


The “self service” blood pressure monitor illustrated is just one item provided by FOCHS to allow patients to take their own blood pressure at their convenience and without having to make a prior appointment or be nervous about seeing a doctor.  Some other items to increase patient comfort funded by FOCHS are the drinking water fountain,
play table, new chairs and in the consulting rooms new Hi-Lo beds. 

Membership of FOCHS is open to all staff employed or attached to the practice as well as all Chawton House patients, their relatives or carers and attracts a very modest annual subscription.  FOCHS aims to hold various social and other fund raising events throughout the year where member participation is encouraged as are their ideas and views.

New members are very welcome, membership application envelopes can be obtained from FOCHS, Chawton House Surgery, St. Thomas Street, Lymington.