Balancing urgent patient needs with limited resources

Whether you are part of the board of trustees or the senior management team, there will be moments when you must make difficult decisions about how to stretch resources to meet the growing needs of cancer patients. You may already be thinking of such a moment. Did it leave you discouraged, or did it help you find clarity and move toward a stronger, more impactful solution?

As the number of patients seeking cancer support rises, resource limitations often follow—usually financial constraints or a shortage of trained medical staff. In the corporate world, profit drives decisions. But for a charity, the situation is far more sensitive and complex.

Our mission is guided by one purpose: saving lives and supporting cancer patients with dignity.
This raises crucial questions:

• Is maintaining the service financially sustainable for the long term?

• Can staff hours be reduced while still ensuring safe, compassionate patient care?

• Are the needs and voices of cancer patients more important than the cost of delivering the service?

The real challenge lies in comparing one service’s life-changing impact against another’s.

Trustees carry a legal duty to act in the best interest of the charity.
Senior management works closely with patients, families, and frontline teams who feel the weight of each decision even more deeply.

One of the strengths of charitable governance is the space it provides for thoughtful consideration. Many trustees and staff join cancer-focused charities because they genuinely care about the cause. This heartfelt commitment while powerful can make tough decisions even more emotionally challenging, especially when they affect the very people we strive to protect.