Volunteers Week - Moorfields celebrates with Friends
Volunteers Week takes place 1-7 June every year, and is a chance to recognise the significant contributions volunteers make to our communities. Here at Moorfields, Friends of Moorfields (our team of volunteers) have gone above and beyond the call of duty to support patients and staff at Moorfields.
Pandemic response
Since July 2020, around 75 Friends have been able to volunteer at our main hospital at City Road, providing over 400 hours of support each week. From helping to check patients in, ensuring they follow safety procedures, to supporting our pharmacy team, our volunteers have played a vital part in patient care. They have also provided much needed support to staff, and have been a fundamental in helping to keep clinics running throughout the pandemic.
‘Friends of Moorfields have provided much needed support in what has been a very challenging year,” says Tracy Luckett, director of nursing at Moorfields.
“From ensuring patients are wearing surgical masks, helping to keep them and our staff safe, to providing assistance when guiding patients to the correct clinic, our volunteers have played a vital role in the care we’ve provided during the pandemic. They’ve also been a tremendous support to our staff, in particular, those who were redeployed to hospitals across London and beyond.”
Remote support
Volunteers who have been shielding have also continued to support the hospital. A team of volunteers have been calling patients to remind them of their appointment, and to help reassure them of the safety measures in place – helping to encourage those who need to come in for treatment to do so. Friends call more than 3,000 patients a month, easing the pressures on the hospital booking team.
Angela Smith, CEO of Friends of Moorfields, says she is extremely proud of each and every volunteer for their commitment to patients and Moorfields staff.
“They are an amazing team who have worked incredibly hard during these difficult and strange times. We have had to adapt and respond quickly to the changing needs of the hospital and all the volunteers have been very flexible and willing to take on new, and often challenging, roles. I’d like to say a big thank you to everyone!”
Volunteer with Friends
If you would like to volunteer with Friends, please visit the Friends of Moorfields website and register your interest at: https://friendsofmoorfields.org.uk/get-involved/volunteer/
Read our volunteer stories
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