Friends of Moorfields celebrates 300 volunteers
4th June, 2024
As we pass a major milestone, a few of our volunteers reflect on what being part of Friends means for them.
This Volunteers’ Week, we’re celebrating the recent achievement of a major milestone – 300 volunteers! Our dedicated volunteers work across 10 network sites and remotely, in a variety of roles that help make sure that patients have the best possible experience.
“Between them, our volunteers provide over 1000 hours of service every week,” says Friends chief executive Angela Smith. “This is the equivalent of 27.5 full-time staff posts. If these roles were paid at the NHS’s lowest pay band, they would cost the trust around £950,000 each year. We’re incredibly proud to be able to offer this level of support to patients and staff at Moorfields.”
With a volunteer force that’s constantly growing, we’re always looking for new ways to support patients and help Moorfields run as smoothly as possible. Earlier this year, we began placing volunteers in the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) office. The PALS team provides confidential advice and support to patients, carers and relatives to resolve concerns about care and guide them through our services, passing on comments and suggestions for improvement to the right teams. Volunteers support the PALS team by assisting with the initial processing of queries, helping the team respond more quickly so that patients get the support they need.
The time and expertise of our volunteers makes a difference to patients and staff at Moorfields, but it also makes a difference to the volunteers themselves.
“There is a profound sense of satisfaction that comes from knowing that I’ve made a positive difference […], no matter how small,” says Mihir, who joined us in September 2023 and volunteers regularly in A&E, helping staff to welcome patients and gather basic information as they arrive. “This environment has also enabled me to cultivate strong interpersonal skills.”
“Volunteering has taught me the importance of adaptability and problem-solving,” says Hemangi, who recently started volunteering at Moorfields at Ealing. “The experience has not only helped me develop practical skills but has also deepened my self-awareness and understanding of my strengths and areas for growth.”
As well as the skills volunteers learn from their regular volunteering, they can also take part in free training sessions on a number of topics, from sight loss awareness to resuscitation. So far this year dozens of volunteers have taken advantage of the chance to develop new skills.
“It’s great to be able to offer these sessions to our volunteers,” says Senior Volunteer Support Officer Liam Bays. “This is part of our wider plan to support volunteers to gain skills and experience that will help them in the future, especially if they’re interested to explore a career in health and care.”
Volunteering doesn’t just offer development and learning opportunities – for many volunteers, the social aspect is just as valuable.
Adrienne, who is a former patient, has volunteered with us since 2019. “I grew up in Islington and Moorfields is a part of my ‘heritage’!” she says. “Volunteering has given me a great purpose after my retirement two years ago. It gives me a sense of belonging to a community.”
“It’s a wonderful team,” says Karen, who has been a volunteer for five years and works both in A&E and on the Information Desk. “I absolutely love the get togethers to meet other volunteers – everyone has a back story as to why they do it and I find that fascinating.”