I want to know about Special Purpose Funds

Special Purpose Funds are created when funds are donated to us for a specific purpose.

These could be funds donated to honour the care of a loved one on a ward, or to support a particular type of research.

Staff can use these funds to drive improvements. Each Special Purpose Fund has a Fundholder and deputy Fundholders who are responsible for planning how to spend the donations received.

Special Purpose Funds are usually highly restricted and we work with the Fundholders to ensure that they are managed carefully and provide the maximum possible benefit for patients and staff.

Special Purpose Funds rely entirely on donations from patients, staff and members of the public. There are around 40 funds of varying sizes and purposes related to Guy’s Cancer. For example recently the Radiotherapy – St John SPF funded development of their 3D printing service, and the lung cancer and mesothelioma surgery fund purchased exercise bikes to support both patient rehabilitation and staff wellbeing.

In 2020-21 c.£4.9m was disbursed through Special Purpose Funds across the Trust, directly benefiting both patient and staff welfare by supporting a range of activities over and above that which is usually available on NHS budgets.

SPF spending can include investment in education, patient care, equipment, research, and staff wellbeing across many different wards, clinics and departments across Guy’s Cancer, including community sites.

If you’re a fundholder we will ask you to prepare a Spending Plan annually to tell us how you intend to spend donated funds.

We love hearing about how fundholders have been spending donated funds, so please get in touch if you would like to tell us about anything especially interesting or impactful that you’ve done with your special purpose fund.