Whilst the country remains in lockdown for another week and the return to business as usual remains in the distant future, thousands of new cases of coronavirus are being announced each day in the UK, coupled with hundreds of deaths. In normality, the UK is globally regarded as a very polite and grateful nation; and right now, in a pandemic, we are no different. Whilst we sit at home in our pyjamas binge watching Netflix shows, doctors and nurses are putting their lives at risk to help the fight against the virus and protect our loved ones. So, naturally, people want to give back and figure out the best way to play a part.
In the past few weeks the UK has watched in awe of 100-year-old Captain Tom Moore marching around his garden, and many captivated people across the country have put their hands in their pockets to donate more than £28 million towards his campaign for the NHS ahead of the army veteran’s 100th birthday. But Captain Moore is not alone as there are plenty of fundraising campaigns doing similar things for the cause of the NHS.
Now, he didn’t have to do this or go to these far measures and his contributions and efforts should be applauded. But regardless of how heartwarming this is, it is also worth remembering that he, and people similar to him, shouldn’t have to fundraise for something so vital and simple.
If we are being honest, NHS charities have had a venerable, yet vulnerable history, and it’s now more important than ever that we don’t take it for granted. These days, every NHS trust has a charity attached to it; possibly the most famous children’s charity associated with Great Ormond Street hospital, dating back to 1852.
As it stands, NHS charities provide everything from capital funding for experimental technology to counselling or respite care for hard-working health workers and are vital in bringing communities together. In addition, they also usually provide vital emergency support or lobby and campaign for change that the monolithic institutions of the NHS can’t always cater to. Last year alone they spent more than £48 billion but these charities are not there to replace state intervention; they are there to do what the State cannot. However, the NHS itself is not a charity and shouldn’t be relying on charitable donations in order to provide essential services to the British people.
Unfortunately, there’s a history of this happening all too often. Due to the government’s cuts in recent years the donated money has had to be put towards providing essential services that, by definition, should be provided by the role of the State. Across the board, charities (not just in healthcare, but also education, social care and many other domains) are using their resources they’ve funded for themselves due to the subsequent cutbacks in the system that evidently can’t quite cope any longer.
Nonetheless at the moment in the UK, some NHS trusts are needing to seek help from the public. Some have asked for monetary donations while others have asked for specific items, such as face masks.
Like all internet crazes, there would, of course, be a Covid-related one. The ‘Run For Heroes’ fundraising campaign caught like wildfire and created a social media frenzy. Launched by Olivia Strong, a 27-year-old woman from Edinburgh, it encourages people to use their daily exercise to run or walk 5km, donate £5, then nominate five other people to take part. Since the campaign was first launched on Instagram on 28 March, over 500,000 people from across the globe have taken part, from Olympic legend Sir Mo Farah to fashion model Adwoa Aboah. All proceeds will be donated to the NHS Charities Together – a national appeal to protect the welfare of NHS staff and support them in the ongoing battle against the virus. The initial target for the campaign was just £5k but now has far surpassed Virgin Money Giving records for an individual volunteer page.
But what’s so wrong with people donating? Well, as the sixth most wealthy country in the world, why can’t Britain finance this fight themselves? The argument over charitable funds is laid clear when it comes to personal protection equipment (PPE), of which the NHS has been run desperately dry of during this pandemic. This is a muddy issue in charity laws, which has started a harsh debate, as they stipulate that money raised for the NHS cannot be spent on essential supplies. Yet, I’d say this makes sense. PPE is an essential and lifesaving tool after all. It shouldn’t be funded by ordinary people working together.
The NHS shouldn’t need heroic acts or chance generosity to survive. This shouldn’t be okay or how things are done at the moment and there needs to be a clear division between what charities are for and what the State is for. Have we really been brainwashed so much in this lockdown that we have somehow managed to forget that we all already ‘donate’ to the NHS through general taxation, and if our tax isn’t managing to reach all ends of our critical public services, then maybe we should take a minute and find out why not. After nearly a decade of the NHS being stripped bare, are we beginning to realise the damage that has been done to our ever-so-proud healthcare system and only now realising how important it is to not make cuts to our NHS? We must ensure that the government takes responsibility and ensure that they are spending enough on it.
Anyways, enjoy your Thursday night clap.
By MEREDITH RAE
