The Duke of Cambridge wanted to hear how charitable funds have helped support the work of the NHS locally during the pandemic.
His Royal Highness Prince William also expressed an interest in learning how staff in the region have been coping with the added pressures resulting from Covid-19.
Chair of NHS Dumfries and Galloway and the Dumfries and Galloway Health Board Endowment Fund (DGHBEF) charity Nick Morris was honoured to receive the call last Tuesday, and spent time speaking about the role charitable contributions have played during the pandemic.
The Duke of Cambridge is a patron for NHS Charities Together which has developed a significant profile in support of NHS organisations over the period of the pandemic. Through this organisation’s national fundraising appeal ‘Support the NHS’, the Dumfries and Galloway Health Board Endowment Fund charity has benefited from significant funding to assist on the endowment fund’s objective to support staff, volunteers and patients.
A spokesman for the fund said: “During the conversation the Duke of Cambridge was interested to know how staff in Dumfries and Galloway were coping with the added pressures of the pandemic. He was very keen to hear how creatively we have used charity funds, generated by the public at both a national and local level.
“As an ambassador for mental health and wellbeing, the Duke of Cambridge noted the investment undertaken to support staff, volunteers and patients across the region and he understood from the description of the projects that had been funded how beneficial mental health and psychological support had been for staff facing such difficult times.”
Nick Morris said: “We were honoured to be contacted by the Duke of Cambridge and to hear his genuine concerns for the wellbeing of all our staff and the patients we serve.
“There was recognition of the work our health board and charity has undertaken throughout the pandemic.”
At local level, the NHS Together and DGHBEF funding has been used for mental health first aid training, promoting staff spiritual care and psychological support service; the provision of safe spaces, wobble rooms and extended dining facilities; the purchase of screens, equipment and furniture; for food, refreshments and health and wellbeing packs; to support the mental health and wellbeing of unpaid carers in the community; and there was specific funding to support the BAME community.
