Evidence shows volunteers help patients and staff
30th June 2022
By Sibel Akbiyak, Helpforce Research Analyst
At Helpforce, our Insight and Impact service (I&I) has been helping organisations prove and promote the impact of their volunteering services through "evidenced outcomes".
Volunteers add significant value to health and social care systems that are under extreme pressure since the pandemic began. They make a positive difference to organisations, staff, family and carers, and the volunteers themselves.
New Helpforce research with Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust shows volunteers have had a significant impact on staff, patients and hospitals. It also shows promising potential for better recognition by senior healthcare leaders.
Moorfields Eye Hospital Hand-Holding Volunteering Project
Eye surgery is usually carried out under local anaesthetic and can cause discomfort and anxiety for patients. It can also cause stress for staff. Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust uses volunteers in a “hand-holding” role to provide comfort and support to patients undergoing operations. Evaluation of this programme showed the following evidence of impact.
Improved Patient-Centred Care
Patients were asked to rate their healthcare provider in four areas based on their current hospital stay or support:
● Showing care and compassion
● Being interested in you as a whole person
● Being really listened to
● Being put at ease
The patients who were supported by volunteers at Moorfields were more likely to give positive feedback for indicators of patient-centred care than those without volunteer support.
Increased patient positivity towards their hospital
We asked patients who were supported by volunteers at Moorfields Eye Hospital the extent to which they would recommend the hospital. Those who received volunteer support were extremely likely to recommend the service, compared to the ones who did not.
“I have been attending Moorfields Eye Hospital for a very long time, each time I have always been really well cared for and felt that staff were interested in enhancing my sight and wellbeing.”
- Moorfields patient who received volunteer support
Improved patient wellbeing
Those who received volunteer support were asked to reflect on the difference that having volunteer support made, and its relation to their wellbeing. Results have shown that volunteer support helped patients to feel less anxious, cheered them up and improved their mood.
Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust - Dining Companions Volunteering Project
At Salford Care, the idea for the Dining Companion role came in the summer of 2018 after a long-standing volunteer’s husband passed away on one of the wards. The volunteer noted that had she not been able to assist her husband at mealtimes, he might have missed crucial meals as he would not have got the required help from ward staff as they had been rushed off their feet. The role of the Dining Companions volunteer was born.
Dining Companions play a crucial role in the hospital; encouraging and enabling patients to eat and drink, and therefore helping to reduce the risk of malnutrition and dehydration. Dining Companions support patients by helping them with meals and refreshments, and making mealtimes more sociable. They also provide an opportunity for independence by positioning trays and cutlery where patients can access them. Evaluation of this programme showed some promising evidence as follows.
"They are a godsend to us"
"Our ward couldn't cope without the support of the dining companions"
- Salford staff members who received volunteer support
Please visit https://helpforce.community/iandi/evidenced-outcomes for more information and individual reports for each project, including all of our evidenced outcomes.
If you’d like help with a project or to join our next training session, please contact us here insight@helpforce.community