By Hospitals ‘overwhelmed’ by offers to volunteer
Grimsby and Scunthorpe hospitals have been “overwhelmed” by the response to an urgent appeal for vital new volunteers.
Around 140 application forms have so far been sent out across the Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust (NLaG).
The hospitals announced they were desperate for ‘younger’ helpers after hundreds of volunteers were being forced to stay away due to Covid, as previously reported.
Out of team of 400 volunteers across Scunthorpe, Grimsby and Goole hospitals only a handful of people currently remain, helping to guide patients round the site at Scunthorpe.
Julie Dobbs, voluntary services manager, said: “We have been overwhelmed by the response we have received from people offering their time and help.
“I never imagined we would receive around 140 expressions of interest.
“We now need to send everyone an application form to start the process of them becoming volunteers at one of our hospitals, as they need to undergo a DBS and occupational health check, as well as complete a Covid risk assessment questionnaire.”
She previously said: “The Covid-19 pandemic has significantly impacted on our volunteering numbers as a large proportion of our volunteers are aged over 60 and the Government guidelines class anyone over this age as clinically vulnerable.
The pandemic means they may not be able to return for many months.
She added the need for additional help was especially essential at the moment, as the Trust was seeing increasing numbers of staff having to self-isolate which was putting extra pressure on the remaining workforce.
Photo: NLaG, before pandemic
