THE ROYAL HOSPITAL CHELSEA – MISSION STATEMENT
To provide veterans with the care and comradeship they need in recognition of their service to the Nation.
THE ROYAL HOSPITAL CHELSEA VISION – EXCELLENCE AND RELEVANCE
The Royal Hospital in 2030 will have cemented still further its reputation as a unique, relevant and much loved national institution and as a model of good practice in the care domain. It will provide a residential community with care for some 300 elderly veterans in modernised accommodation, as well as a range of other services to veterans in need. It will be a dynamic community, the residents of which will be enabled by a committed staff to live lives that are as active, independent, stress free and fulfilled as possible given their age and condition, within a military-based culture which puts a premium on comradeship.
The Royal Hospital will be recognised and valued by the Nation, the Government and the Army for the quality of care it provides and for what it represents: a visible symbol of the covenant that must exist between the Nation and those prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice in its service. It will also be valued as a significant and integrated part of the social and cultural fabric of London and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, contributing to both and playing a role, in conjunction with the National Army Museum, in educating the public about the contribution the Army has made to British history.
The Royal Hospital will continue to receive a Grant-in-Aid from the Government to cover running costs, and will have introduced a charging regime in place of the requirement for pension surrender. It will generate additional income to fund a continuing development programme, and will have made considerable progress towards the establishment of an endowment sufficient to protect itself against any future shortfall in funding, thereby enabling its long-term survival on its historic site.
The Royal Hospital will be recognised as a centre of excellence in the care of the elderly, and that will remain its core business. However, it will also provide inpatient and outpatient facilities to other categories of veteran as part of a coordinated approach to veteran care across the services’ charitable sector, within which it will be recognised as a leading contributor. As such it will be a truly national institution. Its resident population will comprise predominantly Army veterans, but it will have opened its doors to veterans of the other two armed forces for both permanent residence and short term support. The former will be open only to those who have served in the ranks, but the latter will also be available to officers.
In the heritage domain the Royal Hospital will continue to discharge its obligation to the Nation by preserving its historic buildings to a high standard, while simultaneously ensuring the grounds and environs provide (as far as is possible given other constraints) a suitable setting for the buildings and have an appropriate historical context. The buildings and grounds will be open to the public to the maximum extent possible commensurate with maintaining an appropriate level of privacy.
The management of the Royal Hospital will be taut, professional, alert to change and outward looking. It will employ up-to-date working practices to deliver a service that is recognised as providing value for money. It will be commercially astute, making the most of the opportunities for income generation but doing so in a way that does not intrude in an unwelcome manner on the life of the In-Pensioners. Key staff will live on site to be available for duties and to contribute to the wider life of the community.
In sum, the Royal Hospital in 2030 will be valued as a leading provider of care to the veteran community; will be recognised nationally as a centre of excellence in the care of the elderly; will have strengthened substantially its financial base; and will be regarded as a responsible guardian of an important part of the Nation’s heritage, both physical and emotional.