Contents
1 Introduction
Rotherham, Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust charitable fund (Registered charity No 1055641) was registered with the charity commission in 1996 to hold funds for:
- “any charitable purpose or purposes relating to the NHS wholly or mainly for the services provided by Rotherham, Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust.”
- the charity commission requires that the trust has in place sufficiently robust policies and procedures to enable the appropriate administration of those funds
2 Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to detail the procedures required for the receipting of donations into charitable funds and to oversee any reputational risk associated with major donations and celebrity donations.
3 Scope
This policy must be adhered to by any member of staff receiving a donation from a donor.
4 Responsibilities, accountabilities and duties
Executive directors, non-executive directors and all members of staff should be aware of its existence and where necessary, they should be familiar with the details within the procedure. The document fulfils the role of:
- protecting the donors interests
- protecting staff from possible accusation that they have acted less than properly
- to protect the trust’s reputation in relation to major donations and celebrity donations
5 Procedure and implementation
When donations are received, the fund manager is responsible for ensuring that the funds are utilised in an appropriate way in line with charitable fund guidelines. Any specific wishes of the donor may mean the donation becomes a restricted fund.
5.1 Wards and departments
Donations to charitable funds can be made a number of ways:
- online using the Virgin money giving website
- online using the Just Giving platform
- by post using a donations form
- directly to senior staff on wards and departments and in the community
An advised method of donation is by using the Virgin money giving website, an online donation facility at Virgin Money (opens in new window) or the just giving website, an online donation facility on Just Giving (opens in new window).
Donations can also be received from shopping via AmazonSmile. By choosing us as your charity of choice, by shopping on AmazonSmile (opens in new window), the retailer’s Foundation contributes 0.5% of the price of eligible purchases to the charity with 100% of the donation generated going to the charity.
Cheques may also be given to a senior member of staff. Cash can only be accepted by the cashiers office. Cheques should be made payable to ‘Rotherham, Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust charitable fund’ or ‘RDaSH charitable fund’ (for example, the name of the charitable fund bank account).
On accepting a cheque the recipient must complete an official charitable fund receipt (three-part receipt, see appendix A for example) showing:
- the donors name and address, or stating ‘anonymous’ where anonymity has been requested
- the charitable fund into which it is to be paid (there are several different funds, if the staff member is unsure, the charitable funds manager will advise)
- the sum received
The donor should then be asked to sign and date the receipt (this is optional where the donor would prefer not to sign.)
The member of staff receiving the donation must then sign and date the receipt. The top (white) copy of the receipt will then be handed to the donor or staff member who received the donation. Cheque donations received on hospital sites during office opening hours will then be taken, along with the receipt book, to the cashiers office within 5 working days. The cashier will then sign the remaining two copies in the receipt book to acknowledge the transfer of the donation and will keep the second The third copy will remain in the book, which will be returned to the ward.
Any donation of greater than £50,000 or any donation from a celebrity will be assessed in relation to the management of risk and assessed in conjunction with the Lampard review.
5.1.1 St John’s hospice
Where cash and cheques are received at St John’s hospice by donors who do not wish to take this to the cashiers office or the cashiers office is closed, this is placed in a consecutively numbered bag and sealed in front of the donor.
The donors name and amount received (if known) are written on the bag. Where the amount is not known ‘cash uncounted’ is written on the bag. The donor is then given the number of the sealed bag relating to their donation.
A register of safe contents will be kept in the safe at St John’s Hospice and will be sent with the donations received when taken to the cashiers office.
The cashiers office will then issue receipts for donations received.
The top (white) copy of the receipt will be returned to St John’s Hospice, the cashiers office will keep the second copy and the third copy will remain in the book, which will be returned to St John’s Hospice.
Any documents received by the cashiers office with donor’s details, for example, thank you letters or cards will be returned to St John’s hospice once monies have been receipted.
The safe contents sheet will be checked against donations received and this will be authorised by 2 members of staff.
5.1.2 Tickhill Road Site
Cheque donations received on the Tickhill Road Hospital Site outside office hours will be placed in a sealed envelope and the signature of the recipient will be written clearly across the seal together with the ward or department name and ‘donation’ on the The envelope will then be taken to the safe located at Switchboard, Tickhill Road Hospital.
The register kept with the safe will be completed and signed and the number of the entry in the register will be written on the envelope by the switchboard staff.
Within 5 working days, the donation will be retrieved from the safe and be taken, along with the charitable fund receipt book, to cashiers department, Holly Lodge and the procedure in paragraph 7 shall then apply.
5.1.3 Rotherham
Cheque donations received at services in Rotherham outside office hours will be placed in the ward safe or locked drawer until the Woodlands reception is next open and the procedure in paragraph 7 shall then apply.
5.1.4 North Lincolnshire
Cheque donations received at services in North Lincolnshire will be placed in the ward safe or locked drawer following the local procedures for the operation of the safe until the reception is next open and the procedure in paragraph 7 shall then apply.
5.2 Cashiers office
Where cheque donations have initially been received in wards and departments and have been transferred to cashiers office for banking, the second copy of the receipt will be sent to the finance department’s charitable fund manager and the third copy will remain in the receipt book.
When cash donations are received directly by cashiers office a charitable fund receipt shall be completed in accordance with paragraph 3 to 5 of this procedure. The top copy of the receipt will be given to the donor, the second copy will be sent to the finance department charitable fund manager along with a completed and signed income register form (see appendix B) and the third will remain in the cashiers office receipt book. A copy will be sent to the fund manager in order to process ‘Thank you’ letters in acknowledgement of donations.
5.3 Legacies
All legacies must be notified to and dealt with by the executive director of finance and performance. According to terms of the will, the bequest will be treated either as an addition to an existing fund or as a new fund if it creates a restricted fund.
5.4 Fund raising and raffles
A separate policy on fund raising, lotteries, raffles and other forms of gaming has been produced and can be found on the trust intranet under trust finance policies.
5.5 Equipment
If donors insist on purchasing equipment, the fund manager must ensure that the charitable funds manager is notified and that the offer of the gift matches current trust priorities. Any items of equipment purchased must be procured via the trusts procurement department so that it is fully compliant with existing equipment, systems and health and safety procedures.
6 Training implications
There are no specific training needs in relation to this policy, but the following staff will need to be familiar with its contents:
- trustees
- executive directors
- non-executive directors
- care group directors
- ward managers
- members of staff
- any other individual or group with a responsibility for implementing the contents of this policy
As a trust policy, all staff will need to be aware of the key points that this policy covers. Staff will be made aware through:
- team briefs
- individual 1-to-1 meetings
- team meetings
- intranet
- further advice can be sought from the charitable funds manager
7 Monitoring arrangements
7.1 Ensuring cash is not received other than by cashiers or St John’s Hospice
- How: As receipted.
- Who by: Cashiers or St John’s Hospice.
- Reported to: Charitable funds manager, fund manager.
- Frequency: As and When it occurs.
7.2 Procedures and policy followed
- How: Audit programme.
- Who by: Internal audit.
- Reported to: Finance director, audit committee.
- Frequency: As detailed in audit plan.
7.3 Reputation risk
- How: Audit, compare to policy and discussion.
- Who by: Charitable funds committee.
- Reported to: Charitable funds committee.
- Frequency: As and when it occurs.
8 Equality impact assessment screening
To access the equality impact assessment for this policy, please email rdash.equalityanddiversity@nhs.net to request the document.
8.1 Privacy, dignity and respect
The NHS constitution states that all patients should feel that their privacy and dignity are respected while they are in hospital. High Quality Care for All (2008), Lord Darzi’s review of the NHS, identifies the need to organise care around the individual, ‘not just clinically but in terms of dignity and respect’.
As a consequence the trust is required to articulate its intent to deliver care with privacy and dignity that treats all service users with respect. Therefore, all procedural documents will be considered, if relevant, to reflect the requirement to treat everyone with privacy, dignity and respect, (when appropriate this should also include how same sex accommodation is provided).
8.1.1 How this will be met
No issues have been identified in relation to this policy.
9 Associated documents
- Fund raising policy
- Safeguarding policies and procedures
- Internal audit review Feb 18, Lampard report action plan review
10 References
- Lampard report “Independent oversight of NHS and department of health investigation into matters relating to Jimmy Saville”.
11 Appendices
11.1 Appendix A Receipt example
11.2 Appendix B Income
11.3 Appendix C Flow diagram of the receipting of donations to charitable funds
Assessment to reputation as a result of a major donation and any donation from a celebrity
11.3.1 Donation
11.3.1.1 Online
11.3.1.2 Cheque
11.3.1.2.1 Received in office hours
Cheque to be taken, along with receipt book to Cashiers Office within 5 working days. Cashier to sign remaining 2 copies in receipt book, taking 2nd copy. The 3rd copy will remain in the book and returned to the ward.
St John’s Hospice, sealed bag with donor’s name and amount (if known). If amount unknown write ‘amount unknown’. Place in safe and within 5 days taken to cashier’s office. Made payable to RDaSH charitable fund and accepted by senior members of staff or by post with donation for complete a charitable fund receipt (3-part receipt) stating:
- donors name and address (or anonymous)
- the charitable fund to which it is to be paid into
- the sum donated
- donor to sign and date (optional of anonymous)
- staff member receiving donation to sign and date top (white) copy of the receipt given to donor
11.3.1.2.2 If received out of office hours:
Tickhill Road Site, Doncaster, sealed envelope, signed across the seal with ward or dept and donation written on envelope. To be taken to switchboard safe, register completed and within 5 days taken to cashiers office.
Rotherham, placed in ward safe or locked drawer until Woodlands Reception is next open, then cashiering process above will apply.
North Lincolnshire, placed in ward safe or locked drawer until Reception is next open then cashiering process above will apply.
St John’s Hospice, sealed bag with donor’s name and amount (if known). If amount unknown write ‘amount unknown’. Place in safe and within 5 days taken to cashier’s office.
11.3.1.3 Cash
Accepted at the cashier’s office, complete a charitable fund receipt (3-part receipt) stating:
- donors name and address (or anonymous)
- the charitable fund to which it is to be paid into
- the sum donated
- donor to sign and date (optional of anonymous)
- staff member receiving donation to sign and date
- top (white) copy of the receipt given to donor
Document control
- Version: 6.1
- Unique reference number: 195.
- Date approved: 28 December 2023.
- Name of originator or author: Charitable funds manager and charitable funds committee.
- Name of responsible individual: Finance and performance sub committee.
- Date issued: 5 January 2024.
- Review date: October 2024.
- Target audience: All staff.
Page last reviewed: May 14, 2024
Next review due: May 14, 2025