We are celebrating all the volunteers that help our patients and staff this volunteer week. At North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Trust we have volunteers who support our patients and staff across a range of services. You can read some of their stories below.
If you are interested in volunteering for us please If anyone is interested in volunteering, they can complete an Expression of Interest form on the website - Volunteer for your local NHS :: North Cumbria Integrated Care (ncic.nhs.uk)
Ellie joined the Volunteer to Career programme in July 2023. She volunteered her time within the People Services Dept helping with the volume recruitment events and on the reception desk in the Radiology dept.
Ellie said: “The Volunteer to Career programme has helped me in so many ways. It has given me work experience and built my confidence in interacting with patients and staff. I have received great support from the Voluntary Services team throughout this journey and I would advise anyone who is looking for a career in healthcare to develop their skills while volunteering to give it their best. You can never tell what future career it could lead to.”
Ellie is now continuing her level 3 business course at college and has joined the trust bank register as a casual admin assistant.
Volunteer to Career is funded by NHS England and supported by Helpforce. The national programme has so far seen nearly half of the volunteers taking part secure employment or further education in healthcare
Alison Hayes is a Meet and Greet Volunteer.
The Meet and Greet volunteers are based at the entrances to CIC and WCH and are at hand to assist patients to their appointments and direct relatives during visiting times. They are there to be a friendly welcoming face in the hospital, a listening ear and are on hand to improve a patient’s journey through the hospital.
“Having recently retired, volunteering as a meet and greeter has reenergised me. I can feel the benefit to my own wellbeing, and I hope that greeting visitors to the hospital with a smile, helps make a potentially stressful visit just a little bit easier for them.”
David Bues applied to be a Macmillan volunteer last year after both of his parents died from cancer.
He said: “I would like to offer something back. Although I felt that my knowledge of cancer was, and still is, barely sufficient, joining the team of Macmillan volunteers has been a great experience. Everybody has been so kind, positive and welcoming.
I can definitely recommend [volunteering] to anybody who feels that they would like to spend a few hours of their week doing something really worthwhile. You don’t have to be a retired brain surgeon, Admiral of the Fleet, politician or guitar player - just be you!
Life-limiting illness can affect not only the patient but also their extended family, friends and others that help with their care. Just being able to talk to people who understand makes all the difference in the world - having somebody to listen and provide support can be a huge comfort.
It is a privilege to be able to help and support everybody that drops into the Macmillan Hub, situated opposite the Reception desk, in the foyer of the Cumbria Infirmary. Why not come along, find out about Macmillan, volunteer and give it a try - you won’t regret it!!
Tori Crotty, Macmillan Lead Information and Support Manager said: “David has been a volunteer with Macmillan for a short time. He has settled in really well to his role and is ready and willing to greet our service users with a smile at the Macmillan pod. David is approachable and really passionate about helping people with cancer through his own recent experiences of family going through this difficult disease. He is keen to learn more about cancer as a condition and wants to work with us as a team to improve the cancer support we give to patients in the region. As a retired counsellor, David’s skill set is something we can utilise to support patients in the best way. We’d like to thank David for his contributions to the service and we really enjoy having him as part of the team.”
Geraldine has been a Macmillan volunteer for 9 years. Stephanie Connell Macmillan Information and Support Manager said: “As a retired nurse working with patient who require renal dialysis, Geraldine has a wealth of experience and knowledge, caring for patients with life changing and long-term conditions. Geraldine also worked supporting and treating patients with haematological conditions including blood cancer. Geraldine brings many transferable skills to the role of Macmillan Volunteer. Geraldine always greats those she meets with a warm smile and puts people at ease. She is a valued member of the Macmillan Volunteer team, and makes a difference to cancer patients, their families and carers.“
John Hopkins is the Chair of Hospital Radio Haven, a voluntary position. He said: “I have been a member of Hospital Radio Haven since approx. 2009. Since I was very young I have always had an interest in music (Listening, Playing and talking about). So when the opportunity to volunteer at the station came I jumped at it (who wouldn’t want to be in a room on your own listening to the music you like). Being able to play music for patients and staff gives me a lot of pleasure and I hope it gives pleasure to people listening.”
Justine Williams is a Patient Advice & Liaison Service (PALS) Officer. Voluneering gave her the confidence to apply for a full time role. She said:
“I started in March doing the Volunteer to Career (VTC) role with outpatients at The Cumberland Infirmary. This gave me lots of experience in administration within a hospital setting, liaising daily with patients as they attended their appointments, use of IT Systems used in outpatients, and I got the opportunity to attend and complete all relevant training required for the role.
Volunteering has been very beneficial for me, it has given me the confidence to apply for a role working for the Trust, it has been something that I really enjoyed but mostly being able to give people a great customer service. Whilst completing my VTC programme I researched different roles within the Trust and came across the PALS officer role. I felt this aligned to my strengths so applied, I was over the moon when I got the call to say I was successful. Since starting in April I am thoroughly enjoying the role, every day is different, it’s very rewarding helping people resolve their concerns and making a difference. The team in the Patients Experience Team have been very supportive, and everyone is great and made my first weeks very welcoming.
Each year Chaplaincy Volunteers give more than 3,400 hours of their time to doing voluntary work across the Trust. The figure hasn’t changed over the last 2 years which shows the dedication and commitment of the willing Chaplaincy Volunteers. What a team. We salute them and give heartfelt thanks for all of the Healthcare Chaplaincy Volunteers. Let’s meet 2 of them…………..
Joan Routledge has been a volunteer for 7 years and is a Volunteer Lead supporting the Chaplaincy Volunteers she can often be found in the Atrium at the Cumberland Infirmary after 6pm (and other times) with fellow volunteers. Joan is the storyteller of the team…..when a woman arrives in the Atrium in labour, she doesn’t want a wheelchair. Joan counted the 90 seconds between contractions while dad parked the car and the woman said “It’s ok the baby isn’t due until Sunday!” No bag either because when dad eventually arrived, he also said “We’re not having the baby until Sunday, we’re booked in for Sunday”. We all know to boil water and get towels but have no idea why – thank goodness for the expertise of the maternity department. A beautiful baby boy arrived safely.
Sheila Clarke has been a volunteer for over 6 years, volunteering for a couple of hours every week. She is well known in cardiology and the discharge lounge, Emergency Department, Ear Nose and Throat, audiology and endoscopy as she delivers knit and natter group items - with individually wrapped chocolates, twiddle toys etc. Relationships have been built over many years. Sheila never assumes that she can enter a ward or department but is always welcomed. Sheila senses when morale is low and staff are under pressure. “Hello” and a caring smile is all that is required at such times.
The Chaplaincy Volunteers have a list of titles as they go about their voluntary work……………Citizens advice bureau; the oracle of the chaplaincy department; car parking and taxi advisors; toilet and hygiene executives (that means they know where the toilets and hand sanitiser dispensers are); delivery personnel; cartographers (the hospital maps are engrained on their minds); foot traffic managers for patients and outpatients; linguists – explaining the difference between the heart centre, cardiology and coronary care; administrators and mandatory training experts; the holder of the door when a young man with broken leg appears with two friends who were laughing instead of coping better; a reassurance for worried visitors; revolving door monitors; chauffeurs for patients in their wheelchairs; chapel stewards, singers, prayers, cross and bible coordinators; sweets merchandisers, hug givers, fund raisers, a hand to hold and a shoulder to lean on for staff.
They are where the people are, the staff know where to find them and they are seen but not noticed. And all of that is on top of 4,300 ward visits to patients and innumerable conversations with patients, staff, families and each other.
A huge thank you.