Perth Royal Infirmary plans to take a lead role

Sep 8 2009 by Andrew Welsh, Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

VOLUNTEERS are being sought to help ease the burden on Perth’s hospital patients as part of an innovative scheme launched yesterday.

Following the success of a similar befriending initiative at Dundee’s Ninewells Hospital, health chiefs have signalled their intention to extend their praiseworthy work to Perth Royal Infirmary.

Project manager Maureen O’Reilly told the PA that giving patients a friendly welcome to hospital and helping make their stay comfortable can be a valuable experience.

The volunteers offer assistance to patients and visitors who have difficulty finding their way around the hospital, giving directions and escorting people to their destinations.

“We have 120 volunteers in Ninewells who spend time with the patients by working in the wards and showing them round the hospital,” Ms O’Reilly said yesterday.

“From a training aspect it is a good way for people who are unemployed to get back into work if they are looking for some kind of health care employment.

“It is a means of meeting people again, and a rewarding one at that, for people who have been at a loose end or maybe ill.

“Our aim is to make this new service as flexible as possible for volunteers and there will be training and support to enable them to feel comfortable in their new role.”

The Dundee scheme attracted around 120 recruits in under a year and now NHS Tayside hope to replicate that success on a more modest scale in the Fair City.

“I gave myself a target of 50 volunteers for Ninewells and ended up with 124,” said Ms O’Reilly.

“Ideally, I would like to have about 30 or 40 at PRI by Christmas.

“If anybody has any time on their hands, all we are looking for is a minimum of three hours a week from them, which is one shift.”

A recruitment session will be held in Perth later this month. Anyone interested in attending is asked to contact Maureen O’Reilly on 01738 473375 or 01382 632778.