Despite many losing jobs and income the public still donated generously
Public donations raised to assist NHS charities during covid raised a massive £160m new figures show.
The appeal, by umbrella body NHS Charities Together, was launched at the start of the pandemic in March 2020 and quickly became the focus of public giving across the UK as the country went into lockdown.
Most of the cash, some £148m, has been allocated to UK hospital charities however NHSCT says only £100m has actually been distributed so far.
Some £20m in emergency grants were distributed in the first 10 weeks of the pandemic and had given out £42m by the end of 2020.
The initial emergency funding backed more than 4,000 projects, the research shows, most of which paid for mental-health and wellbeing support for NHS staff.
The fundraising also paid for counselling services, spaces for NHS staff to rest between shifts and projects to increase vaccine take-up among black and ethnic minority patients.
The report says NHSCT introduced 100 new charities to its network in the weeks after the appeal was launched to make sure the money could be shared with as many hospital charities as possible.
It says: “At the height of the pandemic, NHSCT gave the public a focus for their outpouring of support for health service staff and patients.
“The funds raised through our NHSCT Covid-19 Urgent Appeal gave emergency help when it was desperately needed and have gone on to enable the NHS to test new ways of working and change systems for the better.
“By bridging the gap between the voluntary and community sector and NHS services, we have enabled NHS charities to increase their funding, access training, and support each other better.”
The largest amount of money – £6.1m – was allocated to NHS charities in the midlands. The smallest amount went to Northern Ireland, where charities received £975,000.
The report’s recommendations include closer partnerships between NHS charities and NHSCT in the future “so that we can amplify the voice of the sector”.
