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Ysbyty Gwynedd volunteers providing vital support for patients and families during pandemic

20.01.2022

A team of volunteers and healthcare assistants have assisted nearly 4,400 members of the public at Ysbyty Gwynedd during December.

Since the start of the pandemic a team of volunteers, which include members of the Royal Voluntary Service, members of the public who have volunteered their time and Health Care Assistants, have helped patients receive essential supplies from home.

Visiting has been restricted at hospitals due to the pandemic and the team at the main entrance have been working hard to ensure patients receive essential items and belongings from home whilst they are in hospital.

The volunteers have been manning the desk seven-days-a-week to support members of the public and during the month of December they handled over 1,400 enquiries, helped direct nearly 1,500 patients to their appointment and delivered over 1,100 essential items to inpatients.

Nicky Jones, a Nurse and who also oversees the running of the front desk, said: “We are really grateful to our fantastic team of volunteers for their help, over the last two years they have made a real difference to our patients whilst they are in hospital and their families.

“As well as handling a number of enquiries from the public they also provide a warm welcome to our patients who have come in for their appointments and surgery and help direct them to the right department.

“Due to our strict infection prevention guidelines they also help ensure all our patients are provided with masks and use the hand sanitisers at the entrance to help keep them safe while they are visiting us.”

December has been a particularly busy period for the team of volunteers and members of the Royal Voluntary Service have been proud to support the hospital during this time.

Debbie Griffin, Service Manager at the Royal Voluntary Service, said: “December and the lead up to Christmas has been a very busy period for Hannah Coles – Service Coordinator and the volunteers operating at the front desk with a mixture of patient enquiries, directions and receiving essential packages from relatives to be sent up to the wards.

“The commitment of all involved is fantastic and shows great team work. We would like to thank everyone involved in making this service a success.”

Meinir Williams, Acute Care Director at Ysbyty Gwynedd, added: “We are very much aware of how difficult it has been for families being separated from their loved ones in hospital during the pandemic.

“Having this service available at our front desk has meant we have still been able to deliver personal belongings from home to our patients which has provided great comfort.

“I would like to say a huge thank you to all our volunteers for their dedication to helping our patients, their families and our staff.”