**ASTO CLINICS CHARITY LTD FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND ANNUAL REPORT** For the year ended 31[st] March 2024
|**Contents**|Page|
|---|---|
|Administra/ve details of the Charity, its Trustees and Advisors|2|
|A le;er from our Chair|3|
|Headlines|4|
|What is OCD, and what is the impact of OCD?|5|
|Our Structure|6|
|Our OCD Treatment programme|7|
|Our Vision|8|
|Our Team|9|
|Our Year in Numbers|12|
|Clinical Report – wri;en by Dr Costas Papageorgiou|13|
|What have people said about us?|14|
|Our plans for 2024/25|15|
|Financial Review|16|
|Trustees Responsibility Statement|17|
|Independent Examiners Report|18|
|Statement of fnancial ac/vi/es|19|
|Balance sheet|20|
|Notes to the fnancial statements|21|
1
## **Administra.ve details of the Charity, its Trustees and Advisors**
For the year ended 31[st] March 2024
## **Trustees**
Stephen Turnock, Chair and Treasurer Cheryl Thomas, Trustee Leslie Jones, Trustee
## **Registered Charity number**
1190240
## **Independent examiners**
Myeasyaccounts Apartment 403 37 Cross Street Manchester M2 4JE
## **Bankers**
HSBC 49a Fishergate Preston PR1 8BH
2
## **A le7er from our Chair**
It is with great pleasure that I present to you The Financial Statements and Annual Report for Asto Clinics Charity Ltd (“Asto”).
For me personally, it has been an incredible journey from being diagnosed with severe Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) in 2018, to making a recovery from the condi/on, and then sedng up Asto to help others get access to effec/ve treatment for their OCD.
As you would imagine, it hasn’t all been plain sailing, but we are now a well established OCD clinic in the UK, with an excellent clinical and administra/ve opera/onal team, together with a very suppor/ve board of trustees.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank both the opera/onal team members and the trustees for their support, professionalism, and diligence, since we opened our virtual clinic doors on 1[st] May 2022.
With the current demand on the NHS, and the pressure on individuals’ funds, there has been no be;er /me to make our online group OCD programme available in the UK.
I would also like to thank the supporters of Asto for making the funds available to help people access our programme, in the vast majority of cases for free. We have received dona/ons from individuals, businesses, and fundraising events. Without these much needed funds, we would not be able to operate in the way we do. Thank you.
We have also had support from a couple of suppliers. This has contributed to us keeping our costs to an absolute minimum. Again, thanks you.
I hope that this report gives you a clear idea of the work that we are doing, and the posi/ve impact we are having on people who are suffering with the debilita/ng condi/on of OCD. If you would like to know more about Asto, please visit our website at www.astoclinics.com, or e-mail me at steve@astoclinics.com.
All the best,
Steve Turnock, Chair of Trustees 16[th] July 2024
3
## **Headlines**
Since we opened our “doors” in May 2022, we have:
- Successfully established ourselves in the charity sector
- Handled 717 enquiries from people searching for help with their OCD
- Run 116 online group therapy sessions
- Successfully treated 63 patients
- Demonstrated our programme to be clinically very effective
- Raised £225,000 to fund our OCD programme
4
## **What is OCD, and what is the impact of OCD?**
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a significant mental health problem which affects around 2% of the population. OCD symptoms tend to vary from person to person. These can include intrusive, unwanted, and difficult to control thoughts, images, or urges (obsessions) relating to harm/danger, contamination, sex, religion, need for symmetry and acts that are repeated physically or mentally (compulsions or rituals) such as cleaning/ washing, checking, counting, ordering, and many other repetitive behaviours.
It is estimated that **750,000** people are thought to be living with severe, life impacting and debilitating OCD in the UK.
In an academic study published in November 2023, it was stated that in the UK there is a total annual cost of illness to the NHS for OCD is £378m. This rises to £5.1bn when the societal perspec/ve was considered. The largest contributor to the healthcare cost was cogni/ve behavioural therapy, while the societal costs were driven by lost produc/vity through absenteeism.
5
## **Our Structure**
Asto Clinics Charity was set up by Steve Turnock on 3[rd] July 2020, with the specific aim of helping people with the debilita/ng condi/on of OCD.
Asto Clinics Charity has a wholly owned subsidiary called Asto Clinics Ltd. It is this company that is the trading arm of our group, and employs the services of a clinical and administra/ve team to run our online OCD treatment programme.
The diagram below explains in more detail, how the funding of the group works.
6
## **Our OCD Treatment programme**
Our OCD Treatment Programme is a practical course that offers patients a good chance to fight against their OCD by accessing effective psychological treatment to learn to manage better or overcome this problem.
A key goal of this course is to help patients understand what keeps their OCD going and then gradually become their own therapist by learning strategies and techniques from the currently recommended and most effective psychological treatment for OCD, namely Cognitive-Behaviour Therapy (CBT) including Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), as advocated by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE, 2005). This course will also incorporate other compatible innovative and proven highly effective behavioural, cognitive or metacognitive interventions for OCD
The nature of this therapeutic course not only helps patients to normalise and appreciate that you are not alone, but also to learn from other participants’ experiences of what works in the treatment of OCD.
Each course takes place weekly via Zoom, lasts for 12 weeks, with each session lasting for 2 hours, and with a maximum of 10 participants – each one of the sessions is facilitated by both an experienced consultant clinical psychologist and a former OCD sufferer.
Families, relatives or friends also have the opportunity to attend two of the sessions during the course in order to help them support the individual with OCD more effectively.
7
## **Our Vision**
To improve the mental health of people in the UK that suffer from OCD, and provide better access to effective therapy. This will be done by the provision of group therapy sessions, based on tried and tested clinical techniques of cognitive behavioural therapy, and exposure and response prevention. As we are a charity, there will be funding available for those people that don't have the means to pay for this effective treatment.
This vision is encapsulated in our “strapline”:
## **“For better mental health, not for profit”**
This philosophy is at the centre of everything we do.
## **Our Approach**
We also have a different approach to most clinics/therapists for our patients. Until the point of people having a clinical assessment, we refer to them as customers.
We do this to ensure that the pathway to treatment is as seamless and anxiety free as possible. We ensure that we respond quickly to messages and e-mails, and our programme coordinator, Sue, is always there to answer questions, and be a calming influence on what can be a stressful time for people.
Once people are seen by Dr Papageorgiou for a clinical assessment, this is the point at which people very much become patients, if they are suitable for our programme. Dr Papageorgiou has over 25 years experience in treating people with OCD, and is considered by many to be amongst the top clinical psychologists in the UK for the treatment of OCD.
8
## **Our Team**
## Asto Clinics Charity Trustees
**Steve Turnock** - Chair of Trustees
Steve is a retired entrepreneur. Having been involved in a broad range of businesses in many different roles, Steve now wants to dedicate a significant proportion of his time and energy into creating more access to effective treatments for mental health issues.
Having suffered severe clinical OCD himself, Steve understands only too well the challenges an individual faces to overcome such an illness.
Steve has also held a voluntary board level position with Blackburn Youth Zone, a charity providing youth services in Blackburn.
## **Cheryl Thomas** - Trustee
Cheryl has many years of experience in assessment and people development and has run her own consultancy business for over 28 years. Working with individuals and organisations, she is involved in all aspects of organisational development and strategy, change management, coaching individuals and teams and designing and facilitating leadership development workshops.
Cheryl has also held the role of Trustee at a local Day Hospice for 18 months which she thoroughly enjoyed and is excited about being part
of the asto team.
## **Leslie Jones** - Trustee
Les is a Creative Director, designer, magazine publisher, working across a wide range of projects. He is also an experienced speaker and talks about creativity, innovation and marketing and branding, with a clear goal of pushing people out of their creative comfort zone and inspiring them to find different and better solutions.
Les worked with Steve at Practiceplan, and was instrumental in giving the company a new brand identity.
Les has a very different perspective than most people on most things. His insight will be invaluable to asto.
9
## Asto Clinics Opera/onal team
**Dr Costas Papageorgiou** – Consultant Clinical Psychologist, and Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology
Dr Papageorgiou is a highly qualified clinical psychologist with more than 25 years of clinical and research experience working in the areas of OCD, anxiety, and depression across several settings including the National Health Service, private mental health hospitals, and numerous national and international Universities.
Dr Papageorgiou has dedicated his professional career helping individuals with OCD, anxiety and depression to overcome these problems and improve their quality of life through brief, proven, and pragmatic psychological treatments. In 2007, with the support of Karen Carlile, Sue Thorgaard and other colleagues, Dr Papageorgiou established a longstanding outpatient 12-week OCD Treatment Programme at the Priory Hospital Altrincham, where hundreds of individuals with OCD participated and gained significant benefit. Dr Papageorgiou is delighted to be part of Asto Clinics Charity, which will enable him the opportunity to improve access of effective therapies for OCD to even more people with this problem.
## **Karen Carlile** – Programme Facilitator
Karen has a combined BA in History and Sociology, and it was after this time that she realised that she had severe OCD. In 2006, she had treatment at the Priory in Altrincham with Costas.
In 2007 after her successful recovery, she teamed up with Costas to become a facilitator for the OCD Group Programme that Costas was running at The Priory.
Karen is an essential part of the Group Programme, drawing on her own personal experience, and that of 15 years facilitating the Programme.
10
## Asto Clinics Opera/onal team (Con/nued)
**Sue Thorgaard** – Programme Coordinator
Sue started working as a medical secretary at The Priory Hospital Altrincham in 2004, where she was responsible for coordinating the OCD Treatment Programme since its inception in 2006 as administrator.
One of her key roles was to act as the first point of contact for patients, carers/families: listening and responding to any questions, and helping to allay any concerns. The role also involved motivating and preparing patients to engage with the assessment stage of the programme.
11
## **Our Year in Numbers**
Our OCD programme is run through our wholly owned subsidiary, Asto Clinics Ltd. We are delighted with the success of our clinic since we opened our virtual doors in May 2022.
Given below are some sta/s/cs both for the year ended 31[st] March 2024, together with the total since we opened the clinic.
|**Number of**
Enquiries
Screenings performed
Clinical assessments
Group sessions
Pa/ents completed treatment|**Year ended**
**31st March 2024**
492
76
41
66
43|**Since**
**1st May 2022**
717
168
92
116
63|
|---|---|---|
Our enquiries have been generated from a number of sources, as shown in the graphic below.
**----- Start of picture text -----**
Google Search
Facebook
41.9% Dr Papageorgiou
43.5%
private clinic
Referral from people
Medical/counsellor
Other
Unknown
1.8% 4.1%
2.4% 2.6% 3.7%
**----- End of picture text -----**
Unfortunately, many people send an enquiry to us, but then don’t respond to our communica/on back with them. Hence, the high propor/on of unknown in the table above.
12
## **Clinical Report – wri7en by Dr Costas Papageorgiou**
I was delighted to join the team at Asto Clinics in May 2022. With the help of Karen as programme facilitator, and Sue as programme coordinator, we have been successfully running our online group OCD programme, and have now completed 10 cohorts, trea/ng 72 pa/ents.
As part of the programme, we ask each pa/ent to complete a number of clinically relevant measures, both before the programme starts, and on comple/on. Using these results, including an exit interview with each pa/ent, I can determine the clinical outcome for each pa/ent.
pa/ents, 43 (59.7%) have had a clinical response, meaning that their OCD symptoms have clinically improved. Of these 43 pa/ents, 25 (34.7%) have recovered.
This is par/cularly encouraging when taken against the backdrop of 75% of the pa/ents having already undertaken treatment for their OCD in other services, and had experienced li;le or no improvement.
their general anxiety levels, depressive symptoms, and their ability to func/on across many aspects of life.
Dr Costas Papageorgiou
13
## **What have pa.ents said about us?**
## “The team was so supportive. Everyone I dealt with was **simply amazing** ”
“Everyone I came into contact with at Asto Clinics were amazing. I found everyone very helpful, respectful and supportive. It felt like everyone wanted you to succeed and overcome your OCD amazing”
“I thought my OCD was something I would have to live with, and would never be unable to ‘undo’ it. I am so grateful to this programme and all the staff for helping me **get my life back** ”
“It far **exceeded my expectations** . I felt that with it being online it might lack a personal touch, however I was wrong. It was everything you would receive in a 1-1 programme but with the convenience and comfort of being at home”
## “If you would have told me a year ago I’d be where I am now, I wouldn’t have believed it”
“Joining the course was the best decision I ever made! Dr Papageorgiou is an amazing therapist and the help he provided **saved my life** ”
## “I wish this was around when I was young as my childhood could have been much happier but I’m so grateful I got the help now”
“I think depending on how bad your OCD is, you could be concerned about starting a OCD programme, but through completing the OCD course I can’t speak highly enough of the OCD programme”
“From the first session there was a **sense of community** , and it was a **judgement free** space where everyone could share as much or as little as they liked. This taught me far more about OCD than a 1-1 session would have”
## “The specialised therapy I received from Asto Clinics without exaggeration has **changed my life** ”
14
## **Our plans for 2024/25**
The year ahead will see us running more online OCD programmes. Our 10[th] programme finished on 23[rd] April 2024, and our 11[th] programme is underway finished on 2[nd] July 2024. Our 12[th] programme started on 28[th] May 2024, and our 13[th] programme is due to start on 6[th] August 2024.
By the late autumn of 2024, we should have treated 100 pa/ents, a real milestone in our journey.
When we have treated 100 plus pa/ents, Dr Papageorgiou will write an academic paper on our treatment programme and it’s effec/veness.
In the coming year, we hope to become more known in the medical profession, and becoming a bigger source of referrals to our clinic. As part of this drive, Dr Papageorgiou delivered a talk to doctors in the Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS.
As we treat more pa/ents, and gain trac/on in the mental health therapy community, we will engage with bodies that provide grants to chari/es. This will assist our funding into the future, and provide us with a sustainable plasorm from which to treat more people with OCD.
15
## **Financial Review**
We are delighted to report that including git aid, we received £51,218 in charitable dona/ons, and £5,364 in sponsored events. We received £4,773 in interest income, mainly from money market deposits. We received £31 from the Amazon Smile affiliate programme, which has now come to an end.
We spent £67,519 on group therapy sessions, and £8,000 on clinical assessments. The group therapy and clinical assessments were provided by our wholly owned subsidiary, Asto Clinics Ltd. A further £787 was spent on expenses, comprised mainly of fees and licences.
brought forward.
As of 31[st] March 2024, we have sufficient cash reserves to fund our ac/vity, well into the financial year 2025/26.
16
## **Trustees Responsibility Statement**
in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accoun/ng Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accoun/ng Prac/ce). The law applicable to chari/es in England & Wales requires the Trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the Charity and of the incoming resources and applica/on of resources of the Charity for that period.
- select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently
- observe the methods and principles in the Charities SORP
- make judgments and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent
- prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the Charity will continue in operation
show and explain the Charity’s transac/ons, to disclose the financial posi/on of the Charity with reasonable accuracy and to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Chari/es Act 2011, the Charity (Accounts and Reports) Regula/ons 2008 and the provisions of the Charity’s Cons/tu/on. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Charity and hence for taking reasonable steps for the preven/on and detec/on of fraud and other irregulari/es. This report was approved by the Trustees on 24[th] April 2024 and signed on their behalf by:
Steve Turnock Chair of Trustees
17
## **Independent Examiners Report**
I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the Asto Clinics Charity Ltd for the year ended 31 March 2024.
## Responsibili/es and basis of report
As the charity trustees of the Trust, you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (‘the Act’).
I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.
## Independent examiner’s statement
I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have come to my attention in connection with the examination giving me cause to believe that in any material respect:
1. Accounting records were not kept in respect of the Trust as required by section 130 of the Act; or
2. The accounts do not accord with those records.
I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.
_J. Buffin AAT_
16[th] July 2024
18
## **Statement of Financial Ac.vi.es For the year ended 31[st] March 2024**
|||**Total**|**Total**|
|---|---|---|---|
|||**Funds**|**Funds**|
|||**2024**|**2023**|
||Note|£|£|
|**INCOME FROM**||||
|Donations and legacies|2|51,218|161,875|
|Charitable activites|3|5,364|5,374|
|Bank interest||4,773|646|
|Amazon Smile||31|22|
|**TOTAL INCOME**||61,386|167,917|
|**EXPENDITURE ON**||||
|Charitable activities|4|76,306|56,898|
|**TOTAL EXPENSE**||76,306|56,898|
|**NET INCOME/(EXPENDITURE)**||(14,920)|111,019|
|**RECONCILIATION OF FUNDS**||||
|Total funds brought forward||116,969|5,950|
|**TOTAL FUNDS CARRIED FORWARD**||102,049|116,969|
19
## **Balance Sheet For the year ended 31[st] March 2024**
|||**2024**|**2023**|
|---|---|---|---|
||Note|**£**|**£**|
|**CURRENT ASSETS**||||
|Debtors and accrued income||0|375|
|Cash at bank|5|102,049|116,594|
|||102,049|116,969|
|**CURRENT LIABILITIES**||||
|Amounts falling due within one year||||
|||0|0|
|||||
|**NET ASSETS**||102,049|116,969|
|**CHARITY FUNDS**||||
|Restricted funds||0|0|
|Unrestricted funds||102,049|116,969|
|**TOTAL FUNDS**||102,049|116,969|
20
## **Notes to the Financial Statements For the year ended 31[st] March 2024**
## **1. ACCOUNTING POLICIES**
## 1.1. Basis of preparation of financial statements
departed from the Chari/es (Accounts and Reports) Regula/ons 2008 only to the extent required to provide a ‘true and fair’ view. This departure has involved following the Chari/es SORP (FRS 102) published on 16 July 2014 rather than the Accoun/ng and Repor/ng by Chari/es: Statement of Recommended Prac/ce effec/ve from 1 April 2005 which has since been withdrawn. The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost conven/on with items recognised at cost or transac/on value unless otherwise stated in the relevant notes to these accounts. The financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Prac/ce: Accoun/ng and Repor/ng by Chari/es preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Repor/ng Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) issued on 16 July 2014 and Financial Repor/ng Standard applicable in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) and Chari/es Act 2011. OCD Ac/on cons/tutes a public benefit en/ty as defined by FRS 102.
## 1.2. Income
All income is recognised once the charity has en/tlement to the income, and it is probable that the income will be received, and the amount of income receivable can be measured reliably.
## 1.3. Expenditure
Expenditure is recognised once there is a legal or construc/ve obliga/on to transfer economic benefit to a third party, it is probable that a transfer of economic benefits will be required in se;lement and the amount of the obliga/on can be measured reliably. Costs of genera/ng funds are costs incurred in a;rac/ng voluntary income, and those incurred in trading ac/vi/es that raise funds. Charitable ac/vi/es and Governance costs are costs incurred on the charity’s educa/onal opera/ons, including support costs and costs rela/ng to the governance of the charity appor/oned to charitable ac/vi/es.
## 1.4. Interest receivable
Interest on funds held on deposit is included when receivable and the amount can be measured reliably by the charity; this is normally upon no/fica/on of the interest paid or payable by the Bank.
## 1.5. Debtors
Trade and other debtors are recognised at the se;lement amount ater any trade discount offered. Prepayments are valued at the amount prepaid net of any trade discounts due.
21
## 1.6. Cash at bank and at hand
Cash at bank and in hand includes cash and short term highly liquid investments with a short maturity of three months or less from the date of acquisi/on or opening of the deposit or similar account.
## 1.7. Fund accoun/ng
General funds are unrestricted funds which are available for use at the discre/on of the Trustees in furtherance of the general objec/ves of the charity and which have not been designated for other purposes. All of our funds are unrestricted.
## 1.8 Going concern
Ater making appropriate enquiries, the Trustees have a reasonable expecta/on that the Charity has adequate resources to con/nue in opera/onal existence for the foreseeable future. For this reason, the Trustees con/nue to adopt the going concern basis in preparing
|**2 INCOME FROM DONATIONS AND LEGACIES**|**2024**|**2023**|
|---|---|---|
||**£**|**£**|
|Donations|51,193|161,500|
|Gift aid|25|375|
||51,218|161,875|
|**3 CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES**|**2024**|**2023**|
||**£**|**£**|
|Sponsored activites|5,314|5,220|
|Gift aid|50|154|
||5,364|5,374|
22
|**4 EXPENSES**|**2024**|**2023**|
|---|---|---|
||**£**|**£**|
|Group therapy sessions|67,519|47,575|
|Clinical assessments|8,000|8,600|
|Accounting software|397|322|
|Fundraising Regulator fees|41|58|
|Justgiving fees|277|216|
|Bank Charges|59|66|
|General|0|48|
|Company House Fees|13|13|
||76,306|56,898|
## **5 EMPLOYEES**
There were no employees during the year (2023 none)
During the year, no Trustees received any remuneration or any benefits in kind (2023 - £nil)
## **6 CASH AT BANK**
Any excess cash held over and above the requirement for the coming month is put on the money market for one month with HSBC.
23