Receiving donations
What you need to know
Grateful patients and their families often want to give a donation to say thank you to the staff who cared for them or their loved ones.
Whilst the donation may be made to say thank you to a specific member of staff, they cannot be used for the benefit of a named individual, but rather for a particular ward or service that anyone who uses that NHS service can benefit from.
These donations are managed by us as your official charity, as NHS bodies are not charities and cannot manage or administer charitable funds.
All gifts and donations must be properly managed and used for the purpose for which they are intended. If you are asked to accept a donation on behalf of your ward, department or service and are not sure what to do, have a look at our Guide to Accessing and Supporting Funds. Section 3 will provide you with the information that you need.
Proper handling of charitable donations is important and by following these guidelines, we ensure we treat donors
with respect, safeguard their donations, and develop ongoing relationships which may encourage continued support
for wards or departments.
Anyone who makes a donation will receive a personal thank you from us. It is therefore important that we get as much information about the donation as possible.
Gifts with restrictions or conditions attached can be difficult to use, so where possible, the donor should be encouraged to make a general-purpose donation.
Never store cash or cheques in your ward or department. This is a security risk and prevents timely processing and acknowledgement of the donation.
Deliver all donations directly to the cashiers’ office as soon as possible. This allows for secure storage, prompt banking of cheques, and efficiently thanking donors.
If you have any cash or cheque donations currently stored in your ward or department, please take these to the cashiers’ office as soon as possible.
Remember
You can also direct grateful patients and families to make a donation online using our online donation form.
Got questions about charities on site or fundraising activities in your ward service or department?
Charities play an important role in supporting your ward, service or department to do more beyond what is provided by NHS funding. When it is not a core function of your role, it can be difficult to navigate best practice in fundraising and charitable donations to ensure that everything is legal and above board.
NHS Lothian’s Charities and Fundraising Policy has been developed to provide NHS Lothian staff with clarity and guidance about fundraising or charitable support activities.
