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NMH | 2024 29 Governance T he Medical Fund, as set out in the Hospital Charter and bye-laws, provides funding for education and research related to women's health care. It receives its funding from the semi-private Fitzwilliam Clinic, whose costs and revenues are shared between the consultants who operate the clinic and the Medical Fund. The Fitzwilliam Semi-Private Clinic (SPC) offers a third category of care for patients of The National Maternity Hospital that falls between the public offering and Medical Fund Committee that offered on a fully private basis. The Medical Fund Committee meets on a regular basis and reports to the NMH Executive Committee. Activity levels continue to increase at the clinic during the year following new booking and operational initiatives introduced together with some much needed physical upgrade works. During 2024 the Medical Fund received a total of €1,503k income from its share of the semi-private clinic activities. Its share of the costs to operate the clinic, amounted to €1,342k of which €835k related to clinic salaries. That resulted in funds available for charitable purposes of €507k. This was used to fund a variety of activities including the provision of €492k funding towards five WTE Research Fellows and €53k for other comparable research and education activities. The Fund had a surplus of €221k for the year. The focus of the Committee during 2024 centred about medium and long term planning. The Fitzwilliam SPC provides a vital source of income to fund Research Fellows and it was reaffirmed that this should continue to be the primary use of the funds generated by the clinic. The financial statements of the Fitzwilliam SPC were also brought up to the same reporting standard as that of the main Hospital. Our thanks to all the Fitzwilliam Semi-private clinic staff and in particular Ann Barry for her assistance during the year. Michele Connolly, Chair, Medical Fund. This was used to fund a variety of activities including the provision of €492k funding towards five WTE Research Fellows and €53k for other comparable research and education activities." Dr Niamh Joyce, Aspire Clinical Fellow and Michelle Barry, Fertility CNS.