A major £50,000 grant from the Sir John Priestman Charity Trust has been awarded to STS Charity, the official charity of South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust, to support the future of local eye care services.
The funds will support its Vision Appeal, which aims to enhance services at the new Sunderland Specialist Eye Hospital which opened in July.
The new hospital replaced the historic Sunderland Eye Infirmary, a much-loved building which has been at the heart of specialist eye care in the city for more than 80 years. However, was no longer fit for the future. The new hospital has been purpose built for modern care and treatment.
The contribution marks a full circle moment for eye care in Sunderland. Sir John Priestman, the Sunderland shipbuilding pioneer and philanthropist, originally financed the construction of Sunderland Eye Infirmary on Queen Alexandra Road. It was opened by Princess Elizabeth shortly after the Second World War and went on to become a centre of excellence for eye care in the region.
This continues a long-standing tradition of support for healthcare in Sunderland from the Sir John Priestman Charity Trust.
Nichola Taylor, Head of STS Charity, said:
“Thanks to this incredibly generous grant from the Sir John Priestman Charity Trust, we can continue building on Sunderland’s proud history of specialist eye care.
“The Vision Appeal is all about going further, funding the additional equipment and innovations that will make a real difference to how we diagnose, treat and care for our patients. This support not only honours Sir John Priestman’s legacy but will help ensure people across our community benefit from world-class eye care for many years to come.”
The grant has funded an IOL Master at the new hospital, a non‑invasive laser tool that precisely measures the eye and calculates the correct lens for cataract surgery. It brings all essential measurements into one appointment, removing the need to visit multiple departments.
The STS Charity Vision Appeal has delivered a series of important enhancements across the new hospital, including motorised examination chairs, visual field testing machines, specialist theatre trolleys, Digital Thomson charts and new children’s waiting area toys, along with several other improvements that enhance patient experience and support high‑quality care.
So far around £800,000 worth of equipment and enhancements has been funded through the Vision Appeal.
For more information about STS Charity, visit: www.stsft.nhs.uk/our-charity
To learn more about Sunderland Specialist Eye Hospital, visit: www.stsft.nhs.uk/our-locations/our-locations/sunderlands-new-eye-hospital
