Volunteers praised for helping staff at Peterborough City Hospital during peak of pandemic

Volunteers have been praised for their part in helping ease the pressure for staff at Peterborough City Hospital during the peak of the pandemic.

Team Rubicon UK is a charity, run by volunteers, which were dispatched to support hospital staff working at the start of the pandemic. The experienced team were deployed to key areas to assist with an increase in activity, including facilities, mortuary and bereavement and decontamination.

The team also provided a decontamination POD at Peterborough City Hospital until June 19 which decontaminated and repackaged gowns for staff to use.

Sam Cochrane, strike team leader with Team Rubicon UK, said: “All the NHS staff have been doing a commendable job during this extremely challenging time and the team of volunteers wanted to support wherever we could.

"Some may not be the most glamorous of tasks but knowing that in some way, no matter how small, we were part of that effort to ease the burden on the NHS and its staff is its own reward.”

Caroline Walker, chief executive at North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust added: “We were incredibly grateful for the support that has been provided by Team Rubicon during the peak of the pandemic.

"They have assisted in many different areas and were a reassuring back up should we have needed the extra support. I would like to thank the team for all of their help and we will miss them on site.”