ROSY and the National Health Service

When ROSY was formed in 2002 it was created as a Support Group of the Oxford Primary Care Trust Charities (OPCTC). Although an entity in its own right, ROSY operated under the OPCTC’s charitable status. Under a written agreement, monies raised could only be used for respite purposes.

Over the next few years the success of ROSY caused problems for the Board of the OPCTC, for ROSY was the only Support Group seeking to raise money in the community and that was outside the rules of the OPCTC.

ROSY considered the option of becoming a “stand alone” charity, but that had little to commend it, for we would still have had to go through the Finance Department of the Oxford Primary Care Trust to pay the nurses and to buy the medical equipment required by our nurses. ROSY wished to continue as a Support Group of the OPCTC but we needed to be seen as a separate entity from the NHS for the benefit of our supporters. Our Treasurer, Peter West led for ROSY and set down The ROSY needs to the OPCTC, which were broadly as follows:

 

• To have its own committee and constitution.
• To have its own bank account(s), conscious that at some stage the majority of the monies raised would have to be paid into the NHS finance department.
• To be allowed to purchase items required by our families that had some therapeutic value.
• To be able to create a support group, with confidential counselling available.
• To be able to run social events for the siblings of the sick children, often the forgotten ones.
• To be able to “pump prime” fund-raising events where that was appropriate.
• To carry out any other function considered appropriate by the ROSY committee which had a direct bearing on the welfare of the ROSY families.

 

ROSY would wish to place on record its thanks to the officers of the OPCTC, and Peter West for their energy and commitment in resolving this matter to the total satisfaction of the ROSY committee. We now operate under a written Service Level Agreement which allows us considerable freedom, and requires that the NHS is able to use our money ONLY for respite care to families in Oxfordshire. Compliance with the agreement is achieved through regular financial reports to the ROSY Committee from the NHS Finance Department, underpinned by meetings of the OPTCT and ROSY committee members. Two such meetings have been held to date and the outcomes have been positive.

Rosy is independent but does not have the administrative commitment of being a “stand alone” charity. We continue our work with great confidence for the future.