Bob on volunteering at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, King’s Lynn
“I remember being asked by a visitor if I could rescue her cat from under her car.”
Hi, my name is Bob and I’ve been volunteering at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital for the past 9 years and have worked in various areas, mainly Rehabilitation Services delivering blood/biopsy samples requiring emergency analysis to Norfolk and Norwich and Addenbrooke’s hospitals and main entrance, reception and general enquiries.
The basic outline of my main duties is:
- Rehabilitation Services: scanning discharged outpatients paper records onto the hospital’s main digital server.
- Main entrance: giving help with directions to clinics/wards, assisting patients with wheelchairs/escorting to appointments, general enquiries and reassuring/chatting to the people who are nervous or are not happy in the hospital environment.
I personally enjoy the areas I work in, they are all different and require different skills. Rehabilitation requires me to work on my own following a methodical procedure to ensure no details are missed or saved to the incorrect patient’s file; all the documents are legal and confidential.
Main entrance requires me to meet and greet people politely and with a smile, which is not always easy when faced with acute requiring assistance, of which some of frustrated by having to wait. However, there are friendlier jovial and humorous occasions happening and some that you would never expect. I remember being asked by a visitor if I could rescue her cat from under her car, fortunately it wasn’t raining. Through volunteering I have made new friends and colleagues not just in the same working area but from other parts of the hospital and often meet for coffee and a chat.
I understand and realise volunteering is not for everybody, but it is a possible opening for other opportunities. If you feel you would like to give it a go, what have you got to lose, a few hours of your time to have a chat, see for yourself who the people are and make your own judgement. There are a variety of areas around the hospital. I am very happy to show you around, answer questions (if possible) over a coffee/tea.
To find out more about volunteering with the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, visit https://www.qehkl.nhs.uk/volunteering.asp?s=careers&p=volunteering
or contact the Voluntary Services Manager.
Joanne Rowe
Voluntary Services Manager
The Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn NHS Foundation Trust
Gayton Road
King’s Lynn
PE30 4ET
Phone: 01553 214687
Email: volunteerapplications@qehkl.nhs.uk