Hospitals United for Sick Kids
Hospitals United for Sick Kids Ltd is an Australian nonprofit organisation dedicated to reducing the disruption of hospitalisation for children and their families. Founded in July 2019 by the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation, it operates as a national alliance of paediatric hospitals, foundations, and services aiming to help sick children return home sooner and resume normal activities[2][5].

Mission and Activities

The organisation focuses on funding projects, research, and programs to minimise hospital stays through four key pillars:

• Reducing hospitalisation time via innovative therapies and technology[1][5].
• Enhancing patient experiences through play therapy and family support initiatives[2][5].
• Preventing hospitalisations by investing in early intervention and community health programs[1][2].
• National collaboration, uniting hospitals and state-based foundations to address local needs with national fundraising[4][5].

As of 2023, the alliance includes partners such as the Women’s & Children’s Hospital Foundation (SA/NT), Perth Children’s Hospital Foundation, The Common Good (QLD), and Monash Children’s Hospital[2][4].

Funding and Impact

Funds are raised through corporate partnerships and public campaigns, including:

• Coles collaborations donating $0.50 per sale of Arnott’s snack packs or Mum’s Sause pasta sauces[1][5].
• Lowes bucket hats, contributing $10 per hat sold[1][5].
• Blip bag tags sold at Coles and Lowes to support hospital redevelopment and equipment[1][5].

Since its inception, the organisation has allocated over $7 million to 77 projects across Australia, benefiting 438,000 children. These include emergency department upgrades, home equipment centres, and research into data-driven therapies[2][5].

Governance

The board includes representatives from member hospitals and independent directors, with oversight from the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Foundation[2][5]. Funds are distributed based on local priorities identified by partner institutions[4][5].

[1] https://www.hospitalsunitedforsickkids.org [2] https://www.hospitalsunitedforsickkids.org/about-us [3] https://www.acnc.gov.au/charity/charities/ffea6c57-9e3f-eb11-bf72-000d3ad1cd99 [4] https://wchfoundation.org.au/hospitals-united-for-sick-kids/ [5] https://www.schf.org.au/hospitals-united-for-sick-kids