Lancashire Teaching Hospitals Charity

Lancashire Teaching Hospitals Charity is an NHS-affiliated organization dedicated to enhancing patient care at the Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (LTHTR), specifically at Chorley and South Ribble, and Royal Preston Hospitals. Established to fund "above and beyond" NHS core services, its mission focuses on providing state-of-the-art equipment, improved facilities, specialist training, clinical research advances, and comforts for patients, families, and staff. Rooted in local healthcare improvement, it emphasizes additionality—delivering optimal impact through innovative, staff-led projects that boost patient experiences and staff wellbeing, often via restricted funds like the Baby Beat Appeal for maternity and neonatal care.

It prioritizes thematic areas such as elderly and dementia care (e.g., craft materials, mobility aids), bereavement support (e.g., MND studies, upgraded facilities), paediatrics (e.g., ward equipment, toys), rehabilitation, and environmental enhancements (e.g., murals, volunteering models). Funding supports non-clinical items, small equipment, and one-off improvements benefiting current and future patients within LTHTR, with a strong focus on direct Trust departmental needs.

Eligible applicants include LTHTR staff (with manager approval), patients, and the public via the Governors Charitable Fund; external charities must demonstrate direct partnership with the Trust. Strictly geographically limited to LTHTR sites, with no income or size restrictions specified.

Grants are small and item-specific (£100s to low thousands), awarded on a rolling basis via downloadable email form to PatientExperienceCharity@lthtr.nhs.uk, reviewed by the Governor Care and Safety Subgroup. It excludes statutory NHS provisions, clinical costs, core funding, or unconnected external projects, distinguishing itself through flexible responsiveness, donor-restricted sub-funds, and exclusive alignment with one NHS Trust for tangible, imaginative patient enhancements.