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Q: What is NUHS Fund?
A: NUHS Fund Limited (“NUHS Fund”) is a Company Limited by Guarantee (CLG) and a registered charity with IPC status. The charity was set up to promote medical research and development as well as provide health related services for the benefit of the Singapore Community.
Gifts directed to NUHS Fund will be used to ensure better health outcomes for the Singapore community:
- Support for research will lead to the discovery of causes of diseases, the development of more effective treatments and the creation of better technologies to support better health;
- Support for education will allow healthcare professionals to continually improve their skills to heal, care for and support healthcare needs in the community;
- Support for patients, especially those assessed to be in financial need, will make a difference in their journey back to better health.
The focus of the National University Health System’s (“NUHS”) active public outreach fundraising activities is helping patients within the NUHS cluster who have been assessed to be in financial need, which is also NUHS Fund’s current priority. We encourage donors to contribute to the General Needy Patient Fund where gifts will be directed towards the greatest need in our community.
Oftentimes, donors prefer to donate to patients suffering from a specific condition (e.g. Cancer) or to a particular group of patients (e.g. Children). For this reason, the charity has sub-funds which are dedicated to these specific intents.
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| Q: Who manages NUHS Fund?
A: A board of directors has been appointed to oversee the charity. The Board comprises 11 people, of which 4 are in the employment of NUHS and its entities while the remaining are independent directors. The following are members of the board with Prof Lim Pin as the Chairman:
1. Prof Lim Pin
2. Prof Yeoh Khay Guan 3. Prof Aymeric Lim 4. Prof Quek Swee Chye 5. Ms Laura Kho 6. Dr James Khoo Chee Min 7. Mrs Sylvia Lee 8. Prof Hum Sin Hoon 9. Dr Alexander Lee 10. Ms Tina Hung 11. Mr Chng Lay Chew
Day-to-day management of the charity has been delegated to the NUHS Development Office ("DO"). NUHS DO reports to the Board of Directors as well as to the Chief Executive of NUHS.
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| Q: What is the role of the Board of Directors?
A: The Board of Directors will provide guidance and have oversight over the NUHS Fund. This includes guidance on fund raising strategies, fund raising efforts and utilisation of funds based on prioritisation of healthcare needs.
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Q: What regulations does NUHS Fund operate under?
A: The NUHS Fund is governed by The Companies Act, The Charities Act, Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore Regulations and Singapore Police Regulations. As an Institution of Public Character under the Charities Act, the charity is held to higher standards of governance and management.
NUHS Fund also reports to the Sector Administrator, Ministry of Health.
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Q: What are the administration costs incurred by NUHS Fund?
A: NUHS Fund incurs minimal administration costs as all manpower and operating costs are absorbed in the budget of NUHS DO. Expenses incurred by the charity include bank charges and audit fees due to annual statutory requirements as well as administrative charges levied by online donation platforms (i.e. Giving.SG, Benevity, Give.Asia and SimplyGiving), all of which are borne by funds ring-fenced for these purposes.
Every dollar donated to NUHS Fund goes in its entirety to support the patients assessed to be in financial need to help them with their recovery journeys (unless otherwise indicated in specific campaigns).
NUHS DO does not engage commercial fundraisers.
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| Q: Who are the beneficiaries?
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| Q: Does NUHS Fund’s beneficiaries include foreigners?
A: Broadly, financial assistance can only be administered within the stated purpose of the charity, with the particular terms and conditions attached to specific donations; and must be compliant to the Income Tax Regulations.
While donors can restrict their gifts to assist specific segments of the Singapore community, NUHS Fund does not encourage this. As an IPC1 charity, all tax deductible donations must be channelled towards benefitting the Singapore community which includes:
- Singapore Citizens - Permanent Residents
- Resident Foreigners
Under the Charities Act, we are allowed to assist non-resident foreigners on a limited basis and the source of donations to support this cannot receive tax deductibility.
1Institution of Public Character
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| Q: Who decides which patient gets funding?
A: All applications to NUHS Fund’s sub-funds have to be reviewed by a Medical Social Worker (MSW)/Social Worker (SW) who will perform a financial assessment and make a recommendation to the sub-fund committee for approval. Patients must be subsidised patients at NUHS entities or partner organisations, and fulfil the requirements of the sub-fund. The amount of help received from the charity will vary depending on the individual circumstances and the patient’s financial background.
Under the charity’s funds criteria, all applications are subject to a financial cap which is dependent on the condition or treatment for which financial aid is required.
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| Q: Are there other avenues of funding available to these families?
A: Yes, there are. MSW/SW will explore all available funding schemes including government (Medifund) and other charities before tapping on NUHS Fund.
Generally, funding from the charity is the last resort after all other avenues of funding have been exhausted.
Under some circumstances where external applications undergo a lengthy process of review and approval and where the condition of the patient may be compromised, the charity’s funds may be tapped on in the first instance.
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Q: Why are donations required since there is government support for patients who require financial assistance through Medifund?
A: NUHS Fund supports gaps not covered by government support or schemes.
While the government has been expanding help to patients who require financial assistance, there are exclusions from Medifund assistance which include consumables, home assist equipment, step-down care as well as procedures and treatments still not considered standard of care.
The implementation of Medishield Life which focuses on in-patient medical bills and out- patient treatment for catastrophic medical condition (e.g. chemotherapy for cancer, dialysis for kidney failure) has reduced the need for support in these areas. Medishield Life, however, does not cover the cost of out-patient consultations, medical investigation, medication for everyone in the Singapore community or the costs of consumables and home assist equipment.
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Q: Do you send out acknowledgement receipts for donations?
A: Yes, if requested, donors will either receive a tax deductible receipt or an acknowledgement of donation. Receipts can only be provided only if required information is provided – via brochure, various online donation platforms or email proof. A minimum amount of $10 is required for a tax deductible receipt to be issued.
Where donations are collected via partnerships and information of donor is not collected, NUHS Fund will not be able to provide any acknowledgement of donations.
Tax deduction cannot be issued for donations to individual patients specified by the donor.
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| Q: Is there government matching for donations to NUHS Fund?
A: The Government does not accord matching grant to donations for the financial support of patients (unlike education and research) as government support takes the form of Medifund.
As an integrated Academic Health System which includes NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine (including the Alice Lee Centre for Nursing Studies), NUS Faculty of Dentistry and NUS Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, donations made to the National University of Singapore (an IPC charity) may be eligible** for a dollar-for-dollar matching by the Government. These donations will go towards the support of education and research in these institutions.
**Donations from statutory boards and government ministries as well as grants are not eligible for matching.
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| Q: How can I make a donation to this Fund?
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