The term 'voluntary hospital' refers to hospitals funded by what?

• A. Church endowment
• B. Philanthropy (voluntary)
• C. Government funding
• D. Private investment

Answer: (B)

Voluntary hospitals are defined by funding from charitable giving and philanthropy. In Britain before the NHS, many urban hospitals relied on donations from the public, subscriptions from supporters, and bequests from generous individuals or groups. This voluntary, philanthropic support was the main source of their finance, rather than government grants or private, profit-driven investment. Some hospitals might have religious connections, but the key idea is that money came from voluntary contributions from society, not from the state. So funding through philanthropy best captures what a voluntary hospital is.