“My patients won’t want to give.”

This is one of the major objections clinicians have to engaging with their hospital charity.

Clinicians often think patients won't want to give because:

• NHS waiting lists are too long and they're upset with waiting for treatment
• They are too upset by what's happening to them because they've had life-threatening news from the doctor
• "So many of my patients die in ICU - why would anyone give when their family member has died?"
• 'They don't have enough money'

At this point I usually share a list of recent gifts within our hospital to de-bunk these myths. You always see a huge lightbulb moment happen right in front of you.

Examples I include always reflect a variety of gifts to show that there are different ways of giving:

• Mr A’s son was admitted for emergency surgery. He gave £50k as a first gift
• Mr B made a personal gift of £25k and made a personal recommendation to a Trust who gave £30k
• Mr C left £2M in his Will for Oncology
• We received £5k from 4 patients who met with a transplant surgeon for an update on his work
• £100 gift was made within two days of a poster going on display in Audiology.
• We received £500 and a letter from a patient who described her experience of radiotherapy treatment as ‘pleasant’!
• £20pcm Direct Debit set up via a donation envelope
• 33 new legacy pledges last month

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