THE Herald is supporting a fund-raising campaign for an innovative patient information centre at Frimley Park Hospital.

Funding of £100,000 is needed to get the project running. The information centre will enable patients to have greater control of their treatment.

The Patient Resource and Information Centre - or Patric Appeal - will fund the start-up and running costs for its first three years.

After that, the hospital will phase running costs into its budget.

It will be located within the foyer of the hospital, and will be open to all patients during normal hospital hours.

Proposals for the centre include special medical promotions, including smoking cessation and healthy diets.

All its activities will be carried out with the full approval of the hospital.

It will be staffed by a several non-medical employees on hand to guide visitors towards the information they need from the internet, reference books and hospital records.

Plans for the project were first unveiled at a media-briefing organised by Herald proprietor Sir Ray Tindle last month.

He has arranged a fund-raising dinner to be held at Farnham Castle on September 6, and he believes it to be an excellent cause.

Camberley Rotary Club has already given £5,000 towards the appeal, which was being launched today (Friday).

Bruce Montgomery, a Frimley consultant urologist who is at the centre of the appeal, felt the project was an exciting opportunity to expand patient facilities.

He said: "We gather there is only one other centre like this in the UK, although there are a number in the States. This is a progressive hospital, not afraid of change, and we think this kind of centre is just what a modern hospital needs.

"The way of thinking for so long has been that doctors tell patients what's wrong with them and then how they are going to treat it.

"But it is the patient's body and they want to make their own choices about it. They can only do this if they are better informed.

"The resource centre will help patients and their families get as much information as they need about their condition, what the consequences are and what the options are for treatment.

"They will then be in a position to have an informed conversation with their doctors about it. Often the patient may know their own body better and may know what works best."

Mr Montgomery added that the new centre will build on the success of its existing basic computer information point.

He said this had received considerable response from patients.

The hospital is hoping that the funds can be raised in time to have the centre operating this summer.

p Why I support it, by Sir Ray Tindle, Page 2.