How we’re helping to make healthcare better for everyone
Our approach
At NHS Charities Together, we believe that everyone should have the best possible healthcare. We do this by working to improve access to health and care services, ensuring patients have the best possible experience, and that NHS staff are looked after.
We work with a diverse network of over 230 NHS charities across the UK, uniting to deliver funds where they’re needed most, helping the NHS to thrive and making sure everyone has access to the health and care they need, when they need it.
Donations to NHS Charities Together help to support:
- NHS staff
- patients and their families
- people in local communities to live well
Money donated to NHS charities helps to improve healthcare experiences for patients and staff by delivering things that are not covered by core government funding, such as:
- specialist equipment that enhances patient care
- additional services that help people to live well at home
- providing extra wellbeing support for NHS staff
Improving patient care
We believe that everyone should have access to the best possible treatment, but as more of us live longer with complex health conditions, the NHS is becoming increasingly overstretched and patients don’t always get the care they need when they need it.
That’s why we fund projects that improve care for patients, such as:
- life-saving pilot schemes and research across the entire patient journey
- funding technology to help people get treatment at home
- green spaces for patients to make hospital feel more welcoming.
Helping communities live well
The key to living well begins at home. That’s why we’re taking a community-first approach to healthcare and breaking down barriers that make it difficult for people to access services and live healthy lifestyles.
We support projects that give everyone equal opportunities to live healthily and improve their wellbeing, such as:
- funding for volunteers so that they can help the ambulance service in emergency situations
- specialist training and equipment, such as defibrillators, so that communities are better equipped to respond to health crises
- therapeutic gardening groups to improve mental health.
Helping communities live well
The key to living well begins at home. That’s why we’re taking a community-first approach to healthcare and breaking down barriers that make it difficult for people to access services and live healthy lifestyles.
We support projects that give everyone equal opportunities to live healthily and improve their wellbeing, such as:
- funding for volunteers so that they can help the ambulance service in emergency situations
- specialist training and equipment, such as defibrillators, so that communities are better equipped to respond to health crises
- therapeutic gardening groups to improve mental health.
Support for NHS staff
The NHS is its people. Its caring and dedicated staff and volunteers work tirelessly to provide incredible medical care. But they’re under more pressure than ever before and the UK is facing a health and care workforce crisis.
We’ve given funding to:
- create wellbeing hubs that offer staff a haven away from the fast pace of the hospital and the pressures of their life-saving work provide
- dedicated counselling support for those who are struggling with their mental health
- train staff and volunteers so that they can better support each other.
Honouring Health & Care Staff – 75 Years of Service
NHS Charities Together hosted a live-streamed event to honour 75 years of service and sacrifice from health and care staff on Friday 10 March 2023.
March 10th was the eve of the third anniversary of the World Health Organisation declaring a pandemic, and the service remembered those staff who lost their lives during Covid-19 and honoured the contribution of health and care staff in the 75th year of the NHS.
Click on the image above to download our 2022 annual report
2022 Annual Report
We’re delighted to share our annual report for 2022 and update you on what your donations helped to achieve.
Whilst the nation is moving on from the pandemic, the NHS continues to feel the devastating impact. However, NHS charities are there to provide the vital support needed to help it recover.
In 2022, we:
- distributed a further £18 million in funding from our Covid-19 Urgent Appeal and the Volunteering Futures Fund
- continued to support NHS staff, providing much-needed mental health and wellbeing support
- focused on long-term recovery and supporting communities to live well – taking the pressure off our over-stretched health services
- held our first National Member Conference, bringing together our NHS charity members for the first time since the pandemic.
We’re proud of everything we achieved in 2022, but we know there is so much more that we can do to ensure the NHS can thrive in an ever-changing world.
Past reports
2022 Annual Report
We’re delighted to share our annual report for 2022 and update you on what your donations helped to achieve.
Whilst the nation is moving on from the pandemic, the NHS continues to feel the devastating impact. However, NHS charities are there to provide the vital support needed to help it recover.
In 2022, we:
- distributed a further £18 million in funding from our Covid-19 Urgent Appeal and the Volunteering Futures Fund
- continued to support NHS staff, providing much-needed mental health and wellbeing support
- focused on long-term recovery and supporting communities to live well – taking the pressure off our over-stretched health services
- held our first National Member Conference, bringing together our NHS charity members for the first time since the pandemic.
We’re proud of everything we achieved in 2022, but we know there is so much more that we can do to ensure the NHS can thrive in an ever-changing world.
Click on the image above to download our 2022 annual report
Past reports
Covid appeal progress report
Covid appeal progress report
As the organisation representing all NHS charities, we were the focal point for public support for our NHS when the pandemic hit. In 2020, we launched our Urgent Covid-19 Appeal.
The appeal went on to raise £160 million to support staff, patients, and communities.
We allocated funds to reach every part of the UK, supporting urgent needs, community partnerships, and NHS recovery.
Help us make healthcare better for everyone