The kindness and dedication of volunteers is providing vital support to staff at The Hospital of St Cross, Rugby. A team of almost 40 volunteers is helping to carry out administration duties on 5 of the wards.
Hoskyn Ward Clerk Claire Woon said that the number of telephone calls has remained high even following the reinstatement of visiting.
“It is paramount calls are answered in a timely manner to alleviate any anxiety the relatives may be feeling. There has also been an increase in paperwork and the volunteers are aiding the Ward Clerks with these extra duties, for example collating admission packs. The volunteers could also be asked to collect something from pharmacy, which again is valuable time gained for our clinical staff.”
Volunteer Bob Tooze, who is 67 and retired, said: “I live a 20-minute walk away so I thought that I would do something useful and help out. Having started by doing a couple of shifts per week, I am now the co-ordinator for this service for the St Cross site. From the feedback I have had, I know that all the volunteers on the wards are really making a difference and are highly appreciated by every member of staff.”
All volunteers follow the same strict infection control rules as staff, including the use of PPE, to ensure safety for patients, visitors, staff and volunteers alike.
Willy Goldschmidt, President of the Friends of St Cross, said: “Friends volunteers have been keen to support the fabulous team at St Cross ever since the first full Covid-19 lockdown restrictions were eased. We also provide meet and greet services on the main entrances, guiding patients and visitors to the appropriate place within the hospital complex. The feedback from the volunteers and staff has been great.”
“The charity now has over 170 volunteers supporting the team in the hospital and we are always looking to recruit more to fill vacancies in existing services and to offer additional services to the hospital in accordance with requests. As the number of services expands we will be on the lookout for volunteers to co-ordinate these activities and to potentially join the group of Trustees for the charity.”