York & Scarborough Hospitals Charity

York & Scarborough Hospitals Charity is the official charity of York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, dedicated to enhancing patient and staff experiences across its hospitals and community services in North Yorkshire by funding vital improvements beyond NHS budgets. Rooted in values of compassion, excellence, and community responsibility, it supports sites including York, Scarborough, Selby, Malton, Bridlington, and St Monica’s, evolving from core hospital enhancements to broader out-of-hospital care. Its mission emphasizes tangible differences in facilities, care, and wellbeing, with a needs-led, partnership-oriented approach fostering sustainable legacies through close stakeholder consultation.

The charity prioritizes five thematic areas: specialised equipment purchases (e.g., scalp coolers for chemotherapy), patient care and experience enhancements (e.g., sensory rooms, children’s waiting areas, end-of-life Autumn Rooms, patient gardens), building refurbishments for better environments, staff wellbeing and professional development (e.g., training, mental health first aid, retirement recognition), and research for clinical innovation. Beneficiaries span all ages, with focus on children, cancer patients, those with complex or life-limiting conditions, relatives needing support (e.g., care packs), and frontline staff, delivering outcomes like emotional comfort, holistic wellbeing, and staff resilience—as seen in 2023/24 expenditures of £486,000 on equipment and £374,000 on patient experience.

Eligibility is strictly limited to applications from Trust staff for projects benefiting these specific sites; external organizations or unsolicited proposals are not accepted. Staff must submit via email with a downloadable form, quotes, and line manager approval, justifying impact on patients/staff. Grants range from £1,000 for small initiatives to £100,000+ for major capital projects (e.g., £850,000 for Scarborough’s Urgent Care Centre features), awarded rolling basis with decisions in 6–12 weeks.

Distinctively hyper-local and responsive, it excludes core costs, unrestricted funding, or non-Trust projects, standing out for rapid, high-impact investments in practical NHS hospital transformations with national recognition for uplifting environments.