Hospital charities fight to raise funds as giving slows in austerity Britain

Charities supporting hospitals are finding new ways to reach out to donors as traditional cash cows dry up

In ‘A journey to… let’s not go there’ in his most recent book Holidays in heck, American journalist PJ O’Rourke writes about being treated for cancer. (For those who don’t know O’Rourke, the fact that his many books include Republican party reptile should give you a clue that he comes at things from a right-wing perspective, although that’s less important than him being very funny and perceptive.) He feels concern about the quality of his medical care at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Centre – he has reaonable insurance, but what happens to those who don’t, he asks the centre’s press officer?

We’re a charitable institution. No one will ever be refused care here. On the other hand, we have to keep the lights on. We do try to find any possible means of payment – government programs, private insurance, et cetera.

Dartmouth-Hitchcock finds that 60% of patients who think they aren’t eligible for assistance are, but offers discounts and payments plans – and gave away $63m of treatment in 2007. Continue reading “Hospital charities fight to raise funds as giving slows in austerity Britain”

How small businesses from BrewDog to Jaffe & Neale use Twitter

My first article for TechRadar Pro, on how small businesses can make smart use of Twitter, has just been published. Thanks to Patrick Neale at Jaffe & Neale bookshop and cafe, and Sarah Warman at craft brewer and bar manager BrewDog, for their time talking about this. Continue reading “How small businesses from BrewDog to Jaffe & Neale use Twitter”

Four Scottish communities purchase their neighbourhoods

Helped by grant money, three community groups have succeeded in purchasing their land collectively

All abilites path on the Little Assynt Estate near LochinverToday on the Guardian’s Social Enterprise Network I write about two decades of community land ownership in the north-west Highlands of Scotland. Assynt Crofters’ Trust bought the land on which 13 townships stand on 1 February 1993, and the majority of the huge, but very lightly populated, area around Lochinver is now owned by its community. Today sees a further step, with a government-funded community purchase (the Scottish Land Fund, via the Big Lottery Fund) of the smokehouse in Achiltibuie, a little to the south – along with three announcements elsewhere in Scotland. Continue reading “Four Scottish communities purchase their neighbourhoods”

The NHS in 2013: a reorg, Sir David Nicholson & CCGs – for £5.69 a day

On 5 July 2013, the NHS will reach Britain’s current male pension age of 65. But far from retiring, the health service will be undergoing surgery – at least in England, although there are also changes afoot in Scotland and Wales. Here are some pointers for the NHS in 2013. Continue reading “The NHS in 2013: a reorg, Sir David Nicholson & CCGs – for £5.69 a day”

The mystery of why Scotland’s health is worse than England’s

Last week saw the publication of the latest Scottish Health Survey. There is plenty of interest – scroll down to figure 2, showing how cigarette smoking is correlated to deprivation, with about 12% of the least deprived fifth of men smoking compared with more than 40% of the most deprived fifth. But what it doesn’t do is compare Scotland’s health to that of other parts of the UK. Continue reading “The mystery of why Scotland’s health is worse than England’s”