Local volunteers support patients at Wexham Park Hospital
This week (27 – 31 March), volunteers from across Slough are at Wexham Park Hospital to support Frimley Health and Care’s Multi Agency Discharge Event (MADE)*.
#OneSlough volunteers are on the hospital wards and at the main reception to raise awareness and link patients and carers to the range of additional support services available to them in the community.
Bilingual volunteers will be speaking to patients and carers in their own language, aiming to provide patients with the confidence to reach out to the voluntary sector support groups. As well as showing patients the new online resource ‘Wellbeing for Slough Community Directory’ www.wellbeingforslough.org.uk. The directory holds details of local activities and services such as reading clubs, social groups and exercise sessions.
A patient on one ward commented: “Today speaking with the volunteer has provided me with a full insight into services that my carer and I were unaware of. I will definitely be asking my carer to register on the Slough Community Directory to navigate us to activities and events.”
Dr Priya Kumar, local GP and Health Inequalities Lead for Slough Place for NHS Frimley Integrated Care Board, said: “It’s fantastic to be able to have volunteers at Wexham Park supporting patients waiting for discharge. We want to make every contact count in the NHS and by having volunteers run a social prescribing model in the acute trust is a step in the right direction. Supporting, connecting and empowering the community in Slough is our key priority by bringing them together to support residents at home."
Volunteers from the Slough Hub are also at Wexham Park to support patients access digital services through the Digital Buddies scheme. Throughout the week volunteers will support patients to get online whilst they wait for discharge. The aim is to increase confidence and support people to get online and enable them to become independent and confident users of smart devices, without having to rely on family members for support.
Not only are the volunteers supporting patients, a member of staff at the hospital who is also a carer was signposted to a local carers group following her interaction with volunteers. She will now be able to access local carer services and find out about financial and emotional support.
Kamlesh, #OneSlough volunteer, said, “I wanted to volunteer at the hospital because for me it would provide many benefits for my educational and career development and can help me understand the field better. I am enjoying volunteering with #OneSlough. It has given me opportunities to volunteer in different roles and different environments.”
Ramesh Kukar, Chief Executive Officer for Slough CVS said, “There have been many studies that have shown that volunteering increases a person’s life expectancy, giving back improves your own wellbeing and skills development. The #OneSlough and partner volunteers have come together to help patients to find out about what support they can access from local voluntary sector groups, once they leave the hospital setting.”
Community volunteers can enhance the services and care provided in hospital by adding an extra layer of support and comfort to patients and their carers whilst they wait for discharge. For more information about local support services, such as wellbeing or carers services, or if you are interested in volunteering visit: https://oneslough.org.uk/oneslough-volunteer-sign-up/
Notes to editors:
*MADE brings together partners from the local health and care system to:
- support improved patient flow across the system
- recognise and unblock delays
- challenge, improve and simplify complex discharge processes
*#OneSlough is a partnership between the NHS, Slough Borough Council, Slough Council for Voluntary Service, local businesses, and the charities and community groups of Slough. We work together to improve the wellbeing of Slough residents.