Back in 2000, the largest NHS charities created an informal group called The Association of NHS Charities, which came together to provide mutual support and a forum for discussion. The Association grew steadily and registered as a Charity in 2008.
In 2019 we rebranded to NHS Charities Together, and we now represent all of the NHS charities from across England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland.
Looking to the Future
When we launched our strategy in 2019, the world was a very different place. Now, nearly two years after the arrival of the Covid-19 pandemic and the outpouring of love and support for the NHS from the public, NHS Charities Together has become a national fundraising and grant giving organisation in addition to being a membership body. Our new 5-year strategy reflects the organisation we have become, and outlines our ambition to continue to support the NHS as it emerges from the most challenging period in its history.
PROVIDING SUPPORT FOR THE NHS WORKFORCE
The people of the NHS are its beating heart: for the NHS workforce that is their patients; for the patients that is the NHS workforce. We know that happy healthy NHS staff leads to better outcomes for NHS patients and their families. The Covid-19 pandemic has had a huge impact on NHS staff, with many experiencing burn out and wanting to leave the NHS. Therefore, over the next 2-3 years, NHS Charities Together will prioritise investing in strategies that meet the needs of the NHS workforce.
CONVENER AND BRIDGE BETWEEN NHS AND VOLUNTARY SECTOR
We also believe that NHS Charities Together and our NHS charity members, can help grow and develop partnerships between the statutory health sector and the wider voluntary health sector. On a macro and micro level, NHS charities can be catalysts, convenors and commissioners (funders) of partnership projects and programmes that help reduce the number of people who get ill and need statutory health intervention and help improve the health and wellness of those with long term health conditions.
SUPPORTING MEMBER CHARITIES
As the membership body for the NHS charity sector, we know our members are often best placed to tell us what is needed in their NHS trust or health board; and as the national charity partner of the NHS we can listen to the devolved national NHS bodies to both influence and support the development and implementation of national strategy and policy. Strategically, with our members, we can add value and resource, in addition to government funds, in ways that have most impact for NHS people.
NHS CHARITIES TOGETHER 2022 – 2026: HERE FOR NHS PEOPLE
Our vision is:
‘Helping the NHS tackle today’s challenges and tomorrow’s opportunities’
Our Mission is:
With our NHS charity members, we are here for the people of the NHS: staff, patients and their families, as a catalyst and convenor of ideas, programmes and partnership that help the NHS recover from the impact of Covid-19, reducing health inequalities and helping to save lives.
Our PHILOSOPHY is:
How we will work. We will be ACE.
- Actively listen – we seek first to understand before we are understood
- Collaborate – together we are more than the sum of our parts
- Every life counts – we champion diversity, equity and inclusion in all that we do
To achieve this, NHS Charities Together has five strategic objectives:
- To champion, influence and invest in NHS strategies that improve the health and wellness of NHS people: staff and volunteers, and reduce health inequalities in the workforce
- To empower the NHS charity sector to be high performing, effective and impactful
- To be a catalyst and convenor of partnerships between the NHS, NHS charities and the wider voluntary health sector to advance great ideas that prevent ill health and improve of long-term health conditions
- To promote understanding of and increase charitable giving in the NHS and demonstrate the difference this makes
- To be a financially sustainable, responsive, and well governed organisation that values and develops our staff, actively practicing the principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion
To achieve this, NHS Charities Together has five strategic objectives:
- To champion, influence and invest in NHS strategies that improve the health and wellness of NHS people: staff and volunteers, and reduce health inequalities in the workforce
- To empower the NHS charity sector to be high performing, effective and impactful
- To be a catalyst and convenor of partnerships between the NHS, NHS charities and the wider voluntary health sector to advance great ideas that prevent ill health and improve of long-term health conditions
- To promote understanding of and increase charitable giving in the NHS and demonstrate the difference this makes
- To be a financially sustainable, responsive, and well governed organisation that values and develops our staff, actively practicing the principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion
