Volunteers sought for hospital project
The hospital is looking for volunteers from all sections of the community, aged 18 years and over, to take part in the project. Training and support will be provided.
A hospital spokesperson said: “The main role of the volunteer will be to provide a friendly welcome and reassuring first impression to all who enter the hospital and to assist and guide visitors and patients to the various wards, departments and clinics in the hospital. The volunteer services will be provided in the main reception area, outpatient department and other areas, as required.”
The concept of a volunteer programme was developed by the Mid-Western Regional Hospital Patient Forum, set up in 2010 to ensure patients and members of the general public have a say in the quality of services provided at the hospital.
Tom Clifford, patient representative who is also chairperson of the Mid-Western Regional Hospital Patient Forum Committee, said: “A service that assists visitors and patients to find their way around the many services provided at the Mid-Western Regional Hospital at no cost to HSE is very welcome.”
Deirdre King de Montano, business manager at the hospital, said there are many benefits to becoming a volunteer.
She said: “These include learning new skills, making new friends, experiencing a new work environment and making a positive difference.”
Paula Cussen Murphy, the hospital’s general manager, also welcomed the new service. She said: “The roll-out of the volunteer service is a way for the hospital to encompass community involvement in ensuring all patients receiving treatment in Mid-Western Regional Hospital receive their care in an integrated manner. It will also help to make the experience while in the hospital as pleasant as possible in what can be a worrying, overpowering experience for some members of the public and patients”.
