IRH canteen staff banned from local charity fund-raising

Hospital staff were stunned to find out that a much-loved charitable enterprise which has been ongoing for years had been brought to a sudden end.

One disgusted nurse told the Tele that everyone who worked in the hospital supported the soft drinks stall, run by the servery staff, who sold cans in aid of Inverclyde charities. 

In February this year they handed over £2,000 to the Ardgowan Hospice, having previously raised cash for the Bute-based children's charity Calum's Cabin.

Inverclyde Royal (Image: Newsquest) An angry nurse said: "I have worked in the hospital for over ten years and this has been going on as long as I have been there. The canteen staff buy in the cans of juice and we all buy them.

"Then all of a sudden they stopped.

"When we asked, we were told that they were no longer allowed. Everyone is very upset about it, but the canteen staff can't do anything about it.

"It is an absolutely shocking decision.

"What possible reason could they have for stopping this? People only buy the cans of juice to support the fundraising. It is not even about healthy eating.

"This hospital relies on the community spirit among the staff who work here. Look at the tea bar. Our wards benefit from the resources they give us, and they tried to stop that before as well.

"We are a community hospital and the community means so much to the people who work here.

"The local community are so supportive of us.  This is a way that we can give back."

During the pandemic local people raised thousands of pounds to support staff and patients, as well as sending in donations of food, clothes and electronic devices showing the close connection with the hospital.

Since 2022 along the fundraisers have handed over £4,000 from staff to the Ardgowan Hospice, which relies on donations to keep caring for those with life limiting illnesses.

The canteen and servery staff also donated £1,500 to Calum's Cabin, which provides respite breaks for seriously ill children and their families in Bute and Ayrshire, as well as flats in Glasgow for the families of children undergoing specialist care in the city's hospitals.

Councillor Francesca Brennan urged health board officials to rethink the deeply unpopular decision. (Image: George Munro)

Greenock councillor Francesca Brennan, a member of the integrated joint board which oversees health and social care services in Inverclyde, has urged health board officials to reverse their controversial decision and allow the servery staff's fund-raising efforts to resume.

She said: "Kind hearted staff have been raising thousands pounds at the hospital through a simple scheme that was all for the benefit of different local charities.

"They have done this for years, so I was really surprised and disappointed when people contacted me to say that these charitable efforts were being thwarted for no apparent reason.

"People in Inverclyde are incredibly generous when it comes to charitable giving, and I know that local groups really appreciate the grassroots donations that comes from the hospital staff.

"I find it very hard to understand why there would be any interference with charitable work easily undertaken.

"I hope that the health board sees their to a swift reversal of an unfortunate decision and the generous staff at Inverclyde Royal can continue with their thoughtful deeds."

But Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board, which this week appointed a new chief executive after a turbulent few years, defended the decision to cancel the fundraiser which brings an end to the donations.

A spokesperson said: "We are grateful to those in our hospital who organise fund-raising activities for the Inverclyde community, and thank canteen staff for their best intentions in the sale of drinks for local charities.

"However, we remind all staff that fund-raising must be carried out via official channels to ensure appropriate legal and financial processes are followed. "