The Festival of Debate took place in May, Sheffield Hospitals Charity was involved in the debate about the role of charities and the NHS.
Their debate is titled: Charity and the NHS: The Hidden Cost of Healthcare?
The NHS has a long history with charities: prior to the NHS being established in 1948, healthcare was mostly provided by voluntary hospitals and organisations. Since then, charities have worked in partnership with and alongside the NHS. The NHS is a public service - and nobody wants to pay for things the state 'should' fund. But with the NHS facing increasing pressures – financially, socially, politically - does ‘should’ become ‘would like to’? And what role can and ‘should’ charities play now?
Panel members brought different perspectives from the NHS, charity sector and public health will explore the role of charities in funding, delivery, research and innovation in the NHS; how charities and the NHS could work more effectively together; and what needs to change in the wider system.
The debate was hosted by Alexis Krachai (President, Sheffield Chamber of Commerce and Industry) with panellists Greg Fell (Director of Public Health, Sheffield), Kate Collins (CEO, Teenage Cancer Trust), Dr Channa Hewamadumma (Consultant Neurologist, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS FT, and Honorary Senior Lecturer Sheffield University), and Shasta Ashraf (Director of Grants, Sheffield Hospitals Charity).
It was hosted in Lecture 3, The Diamond at the University of Sheffield on Tuesday 7th May, 6pm - 7:45pm.
Published: Wednesday 15th of May 2024