The King's Fund is an independent

think tank A think tank, or policy institute, is a research institute that performs research and advocacy concerning topics such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, technology, and culture. Most think tanks are non-governmental ...

, which is involved with work relating to the health system in England. It organises conferences and other events. Since 1997, they have jointly funded a yearly award system with

GlaxoSmithKline GSK plc, formerly GlaxoSmithKline plc, is a British multinational pharmaceutical and biotechnology company with global headquarters in London, England. Established in 2000 by a merger of Glaxo Wellcome and SmithKline Beecham. GSK is the ten ...

. They reward small to medium-sized health charities who are improving people's health. The Chief Executive is Richard Murray. Before 1948 the body contributed significantly to London's voluntary hospitals.

History

Founded as the Prince of Wales's Hospital Fund for London in 1897, the fund changed its name in 1902 to King Edward's Hospital Fund after the accession to the

throne A throne is the seat of state of a potentate or dignitary, especially the seat occupied by a sovereign on state occasions; or the seat occupied by a pope or bishop on ceremonial occasions. "Throne" in an abstract sense can also refer to the mona ...

of King

Edward VII Edward VII (Albert Edward; 9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and Emperor of India, from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910. The second child and eldest son of Queen Victoria an ...

. In 1907,

Parliament In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: representing the electorate, making laws, and overseeing the government via hearings and inquiries. ...

incorporated the fund as the King's Fund.

George Stephen, 1st Baron Mount Stephen George Stephen, 1st Baron Mount Stephen, (5 June 1829 – 29 November 1921), known as Sir George Stephen, Bt, between 1886 and 1891, was a Canadian businessman. Originally from Scotland, he made his fame in Montreal and was the first Canadia ...

worked closely with the future

George V George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until his death in 1936. Born during the reign of his grandmother Que ...

in building the charity's

endowment fund A financial endowment is a legal structure for managing, and in many cases indefinitely perpetuating, a pool of financial, real estate, or other investments for a specific purpose according to the will of its founders and donors. Endowments are o ...

. Lord Mount Stephen was the charity's most important benefactor, having made gifts to the amount of £1,315,000. The fund was originally set up to contribute to London's voluntary hospitals and did so, which it later started to inspect and expand. After the NHS was created in 1948, the fund became a think tank. In 1992 the influential King‘s Fund‘s Commission on London's Health Care identified high costs and lower throughput of central London hospitals and recommended reduction in acute services and parallel improvements in primary care.

References

External links

The King's Fund
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kings Fund Organizations established in 1897 National Health Service (England) Health charities in the United Kingdom Health in London Public policy think tanks based in the United Kingdom 1897 establishments in England

History

See also

References

External links