Kingston Hospital NHS Foundation Trust General Charitable Fund

Kingston Hospital NHS Foundation Trust General Charitable Fund, operating as Kingston Hospital Charity and established by trust deed in 1996, is a place-based NHS charity dedicated to enhancing patient care, outcomes, and experiences at Kingston Hospital beyond statutory NHS funding. Its mission centers on advancing compassion, excellence, community involvement, and public benefit through philanthropic support for healthcare innovation, with core objects encompassing any charitable purposes tied to the Trust or NHS Act 2006. As an umbrella organization managing over 50 restricted and designated funds, it honors donor intentions via a donor-centric, partnership-driven approach, working closely with hospital leadership, clinical teams, and a Charitable Funds Committee of board members.

The fund prioritizes patient-centered facilities and spaces, advanced medical equipment for diagnostics and treatment, clinical research, staff welfare and professional development, and enhancements to patient comfort and family support. Key areas include capital projects like ward refurbishments (e.g., dementia care), cancer technology acquisitions, breast cancer initiatives, and staff wellbeing programs, with 2019-20 spend showing 45% on buildings/capital, 40% on equipment, and over 10% on staff support—all benefiting patients, families, and staff within the hospital.

Eligibility is highly restrictive: it accepts no unsolicited applications from external charities or organizations; proposals must come from Kingston and Richmond NHS Foundation Trust staff, signed by relevant fund holders, and align with Trust priorities in Kingston-upon-Thames and surrounding areas (Richmond, Roehampton, Putney, East Elmbridge, Merton, Surrey, Sutton, Wandsworth). Grants range from £1,000 to £250,000 (typically £5,000+ for major projects), considered on a rolling basis by the quarterly-meeting Charitable Funds Committee, with no public deadlines or external processes.

Distinctively, it excludes core costs for outsiders and statutory-replicable activities, focusing solely on sustainable, innovative hospital enhancements that accelerate impact, distinguishing it as a targeted NHS ally rather than a broad community funder.