A new volunteer-led appointment reminder service at the James Paget University Hospital has gone live, aiming to reduce the number of missed appointments and help reduce waiting lists.
A dedicated team of six volunteers are taking turns to contact patients via telephone ahead of their scheduled ultrasound appointments, offering friendly reminders about their upcoming scans and addressing any worries they might have.
This work is part of a wider programme that is being delivered by Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board and national charity Helpforce, aimed at preventing people from missing their appointments by removing barriers to attendance.
Friendly volunteers will call patients several days ahead of their scheduled appointments to ensure they have the date in their diary, are able to voice any concerns, and resolve challenges, such as lack of transportation.
Lianne Willimott, Diagnostic Information Manager from James Paget University Hospital explained: “When someone misses a crucial appointment, it can lead to poorer health outcomes, and it is also wasteful of NHS resource because we can't use the equipment, room and staff time for someone else who is waiting for care.
“We hope that when patients receive reminder phone calls from friendly volunteers with local knowledge, they will feel more at ease by being given the chance to ask questions and know exactly what's going to happen when they come in.
“We are incredibly grateful to Helpforce for their expertise in designing and implementing this impact driven service to ensure it runs smoothly, as well as to Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board for involving in us in the wider programme.”
Maeve Hully, Director of Volunteering at Helpforce, added: “Many congratulations to the team at James Paget University Hospitals NHS Trust on reaching this important milestone.
“The collaborative effort with the hospital team has been truly remarkable. Every individual involved, from NHS staff to dedicated volunteers, has shown exceptional commitment to developing and fine-tuning this vital service. We look forward to sharing the results of this programme when they are ready.”
Helpforce is the only independent UK charity focused exclusively on establishing high impact volunteering services across the health system. Its team of experts:
• Co-create innovative solutions with health and care organisations
• Enable organisations to maximise the potential of volunteering to improve outcomes for people and services
• Connect the people leading volunteers to improve quality together
Founded in 2017, the charity works with NHS trusts, hospices, local authorities, and voluntary and community organisations – directly and indirectly supporting hundreds of thousands of people.