Volunteers to help patients at Peterborough A&E department

A total of 30 new Emergency Department (ED) Volunteers have been recruited and will be helping out between 10am and 9pm, seven days per week. They will help patients to stay in touch with loved ones or carers, make refreshments, such as teas or coffees and also help to get a meal for someone that has been in the department for a while.

The volunteers will have a Cisco phone, to help patients stay in touch with the outside world, phone chargers, so patients can charge their mobiles, notebooks, iPads and dementia friendly items.

Stuart Toulson, Matron - Urgent & Emergency Care, said: “We are now beginning to see some of our new Emergency Department volunteers starting to arrive on ED. Sarah Clarkson has joined us from the Outpatients Team as our new Emergency Department Volunteer Co-ordinator. Sarah has started by meeting staff in ED to tell them about all of the new faces that will be coming in to help our patients. By helping the patients in this way they will also be helping our staff to conduct their clinical duties, knowing that the patients other needs are being looked after.”

Carol North, Head of Volunteering added: “We also have a new Youth Volunteer Co-ordinator, Elizabeth Kennedy, has joined us to continue to attract youth volunteers into the Trust. We are also excited to have our first Youth volunteers starting in ED over the new few weeks.”