The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 280 No 7491 p255
1 March 2008

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Benevolent Fund needs your input

David Qualter, fund manager, explains the plans the Benevolent Fund trustees have to prepare it for 21st century pharmacists’ needs

Trustees of the Benevolent Fund are preparing to launch a modernised and expanded service in September and want to know what pharmacists think about the fund, what they believe it should be doing and what services they expect they will need in the future.

“The Benevolent Fund has provided much needed help and support to many people over the years. As we consider the next few years we want pharmacists to be fully involved in shaping the future direction of the fund. It is theirs and we need to ensure that the services we provide continue to meet the diverse needs of our members in the future,” David Thomson, chairman of the fund trustees, says.

Background

The fund has a long history of providing valuable help and support to pharmacists, their dependants and pharmacy students in times of need. It is a long standing charity, dating back to 1841.

Since that time it has provided a lifeline for members who, through circumstances often beyond their control, such as personal illness, disability or other life changing events, have needed help.

This has been given in many formats, specifically tailored to the individual’s circumstances, and includes financial assistance, advice, and emotional and practical support on a short- or long-term basis.

The fund relies heavily on individual donations and legacies for baseline income and also maintains a portfolio as surety. In addition to financial assistance the fund supports two unique services: the Listening Friends Scheme and the Pharmacist Health Support Programme.

Although a large percentage of people who approach the fund are over 50 years old, an increasing number of requests are being received from younger people and students.

Direct financial assistance Last year, grants were made for a variety of purposes, ranging from the purchase of a washing machine to help a widow with two young children to a week’s respite holiday for a carer of a disabled man. In 2007, 126 members of the Society, former members, and their widows, widowers or dependants received grants totalling almost £100,000.

Over the past few years, debt had become a growing problem, as has access to specialist benefits advice. Beneficiaries are also offered advice and signposted to other relevant services. This can make a big difference to a person feeling isolated and demonstrates that someone cares.

Listening friends The Listening Friends Scheme is an independent telephone helpline on which pharmacists can speak confidentially to fellow pharmacists about specific issues and problems. The number of members using the scheme has risen steadily over the years and many calls now come from younger and newly qualified members. Most involve professional problems, stress in the workplace and employment issues.

As a result of the additional demand being placed on the service, a major recruitment drive was undertaken in 2007, attracting 12 new volunteers who have just completed their initial training. The service is now supported by 26 dedicated and committed pharmacists, each giving their time for free.

Health support programme The Pharmacist Health Support Programme provides support to pharmacists who have a drug or alcohol problem. Last year, 35 people with addiction problems were helped, of whom six undertook treatment at specialist residential centres.

The success rate of the programme is high in terms of recovering patients returning to work but these people require ongoing support, often for many years afterwards. The programme provides this through a network of self help groups and specially trained professionals.

A new approach

Until 2006 the fund was the responsibility of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s Council, advised by a steering group. Since November 2006, however, as a requirement of new legislation, an up-to-date declaration of trust, agreed with the Charity Commission, was established and a board of eight trustees now governs the fund. Its objects remain unchanged, however, and it continues to provide relief in cases of financial need or other distress among pharmacists and their dependants.

The trustees believe the time is now right to review the services that the fund provides and have begun to look at the need for new or expanded services to meet the needs of those in pharmacy today. The trustees are committed to pursuing a number of strategic objectives for the next three years to ensure that the fund meets its mission statement “to provide financial assistance and pastoral support to pharmacists, former pharmacists, pharmacy students and their dependants”. These include the need to improve awareness of services and access to them.

Before committing the fund to the provision of new services, the trustees want to be absolutely sure that the services they provide are those that members most need. Over the next few months they will be researching possible new services and liaising with other benevolent funds and similar organisations to see what works.

In particular, they will also, through an online questionnaire, be asking pharmacists for their views and ideas. Those completing the questionnaire will be asked what they think about a number of possible service developments and will have the opportunity to make their own suggestions.

In addition to expanding the level of help provided to members the trustees are eager to involve pharmacists more fully in the fund’s work. At the moment pharmacists are involved as trustees and as listening friends. The fund is committed to maintaining and building on this invaluable involvement. One useful part pharmacists can play is the role of home visitor.

Enquiries from potential beneficiaries come from all over England, Scotland and Wales and it is often not possible for me, as fund manager, to meet each applicant in person. Volunteer home visitors in each region would ensure that all applicants received a visit and that their particular issues were explored as fully as possible. These developments in the fund’s activities will be launched at the British Pharmacy Conference in September 2008.

“Ultimately, we would like members and their families to view the Benevolent Fund as a resource that they can use whenever they need, not just as a last resort. Somewhere that they can turn to for advice, support and assistance. I strongly encourage pharmacists to support this enterprise by completing the on line questionnaire,” Mr Thomson stresses.