Working as a Charity
ABOVE & BEYOND CHARITIES
Registered Charity Number 229945
The Charity
History
The Charity Trustees (formerly Special Trustees) are appointed by the NHS Appointments
Commission on behalf of the Secretary of State for Health to administer the charitable
funds for the institutions, wards and departments of the University Hospitals Bristol.
Special Trustees were created as a consequence of the National Health Service Act
1973 to hold the charitable funds of their associated teaching hospitals. The Special
Trustees for the United Bristol Hospitals were created from 1st April 1974 and held
the charitable funds of the University Hospitals Bristol until 31 March 2000.
The Special Trustees were then renamed Charity Trustees in a Statutory Instrument
which was laid before Parliament on 4 February 2000 and, with effect from 1 April
2000, the Charity's new name became The Charitable Trusts for the United Bristol Hospitals, before being recently renamed as the Above & Beyond Charities.
Now
Above & Beyond Charities continues to be registered
with the Charity Commission as before. The Charity Trustees hold property and investments
worth around 11 million as general purpose funds for nine hospitals and around 500
special purpose funds for patient and staff amenities, and for research.
The Funds
General Purpose Funds are received and administered for:
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Bristol Royal Infirmary
-
Bristol Royal Hospital for Children
-
St Michaels Hospital
-
Bristol General Hospital
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Bristol Haematology & Oncology Centre
-
Bristol Eye Hospital
-
Bristol Dental Hospital
-
Bristol Homeopathic Hospital
Each of these Hospitals also has funds that have been specifically donated to enhance
patient and staff amenities, and for research. There are approximately 500 Special
Purpose Funds altogether each with its own Fund Advisor from whom the Charity Trustees
receive advice on the use of these funds.
The Trustees also give attention to the imbalance of donated income between the general
and special purpose funds. Some of the special purpose funds have considerable appeal
and have been the subject of active fund raising by a wide range of supporters. This
has reduced the percentage of total income accruing to the general purpose funds which,
in turn, limits the initiatives and support that the Trustees can offer from this
source. A start has been made on a fund raising programme designed to produce an increase
into the general purpose funds.
The Charity Trustees provide support to the Healthcare Trust and to the clinical departments
of the Medical School of the University of Bristol in situations where it is appropriate
for the objective to be met from charitable funds.
The Charity Trustees maintain a policy that any support provided must be capable of
being sustained from charitable funds and that it is not part of their responsibilities
to subsidise those core services that are properly the responsibility of either the
University Hospitals Bristol or the University.
Annual Reporting
The accounts must conform with the requirements of the Charity Commissions Statement
of Recommended Practice (SORP) and, during the year, the Charity Trustees staff and
professional advisors collaborate to ensure that this standard is met.
