Emergency Department

We are currently only accepting applications for evening and weekend volunteers please for this role due to high demand.

What is the Emergency Department? The Emergency Department is the first point of contact for patients needing emergency treatment within the hospital. The types of patients that visit the department are in critical need of care and assistance and need to be seen and responded to quickly. This means that the clinical staff are usually extremely busy and need help when carrying out non-clinical but important tasks.

Why we need your help? Attendances at the Emergency Department continue to remain high and our staff are under a lot of pressure to work in very busy circumstances. We need your help to alleviate pressure on staff and improve patient experiences by befriending and listening to patients, who may be alone, anxious or distressed, talking with them and providing support.

What does an Emergency Department Support Volunteer do? • Sit with patients who may be alone, anxious or distressed, listening, talking with them and offering comfort • Offer drinks and food (after checking for patients who may be nil -by-mouth) • Encourage patients to eat, including cutting food and passing cutlery and cups • Help visitors to find patients and guide people to relevant departments • Wipe down chairs and restock shelves • Carry out any other tasks that would be helpful to patients, visitors or staff