Who are hospital volunteers?
They are people who donate their time, skills and caring to support the work of paid hospital staff and at present the Trust has approximately 700 volunteers.
Volunteers are :
- Dedicated individuals who approach their work with the same commitment to excellence as any other healthcare professional
- A valuable part of the hospital team
- People who make a difference in meeting patients’ needs
- Good role models
Why become a volunteer?
Volunteers have time to just sit and talk to patients, which gives staff more time to do what they are trained for. The advantages of volunteering are:
- To meet new people
- To learn new skills
- To feel a sense of achievement
- To gain confidence
What does a hospital volunteer do?
- Greets patients and visitors
- Helping on wards – giving out cups of tea, helping at meal times
- Escorting patients – helping them find their way
- Works in the hospital coffee shops
- Pastoral Care
- And many others too extensive to list here
The personal touch
A hospital volunteer is often the first point of contact to patients and visitors. A warm and friendly greeting will put them at ease. Conversation can relieve a patient’s anxiety. Patients who feel someone is taking a personal interest in them are more likely to have a positive attitude toward their hospital stay.
The Voluntary Services team is made up of Sylvia Turner, Voluntary Services Co-ordinator and Julie Ingham, Office Administrator. Both are based at Chorley and South Ribble Hospital but work across both hospital sites. They can be contacted on tel: 01257 247536 or email: sylvia.turner@lthtr.nhs.uk.
