The poor fund
LAMB’s aim is to serve the poor and under-privileged, especially women and children. It has never turned a poor patient away. In an area where the wage for a day labourer is about £1.50 a day, many do not seek health care until is too late, because they are afraid of the cost.
It is well known locally that LAMB treats first and looks at the question of payment later. This is often the main reason that the poor come to LAMB. This is made possible by the Poor Fund, which pays for those who cannot afford even the low cost of their treatment.
In 2022, the Poor fund made the following provision for needy patients:
· 41% of the 7808 in-patients in 2022 received subsidy totaling £90,050
· 7% of the 53,035 out-patients in 2022 received subsidy totaling £12,500
· Of 1476 rehab patients 11% received subsidies (ie 161 families) totaling £3240
A total of 5787 patients received help from the poor fund in 2022
LH gave 93% of the total Poor Fund costs.