‘Front of Entrance Support Team’ from Friends of Moorfield Eye Hospital support thousands of patients.

The ‘Front Entrance Support Team’ at Moorfields Eye Hospital has made an amazing contribution over the last year by supporting tens of thousands of patients through the pandemic; assisting vulnerable patients in the best possible way while maintaining the required measures such as social distancing and PPE.

Throughout the pandemic the volunteer team has become integral in supporting the hospital staff to provide safe and compassionate care to their patients. Playing a pivotal role at the front entrance welcoming, guiding and reassuring patients and their carers when they arrive at the hospital.

Moorfield Eye Hospitals patients, of whom many are vulnerable because of sight impairments, have required additional support during this time, especially when trying to navigate one way systems and adhering to social distancing guidance. The front entrance team demonstrated courtesy and professionalism throughout, often going above and beyond their volunteering role.

The Front Entrance Support Team was created as a direct result of changes brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic. The Hospital needed to implement urgent safety measures that would ensure that the spread of the virus was as contained as possible. During the first wave (March – July 2020) Moorfields provided emergency services only and members of clinical staff were redeployed to greet patients upon arrival, ask mandatory safety questions and hand out face masks. Over the following months, as the hospital service was recovering, the clinical staff needed to return to their original roles. However, the need at the front entrance was even more important than ever as patient numbers increased.

Volunteers were asked to step in to provide this service with the support of one member of staff who coordinated the area. The team spans across different sites and includes volunteers who often manage the entrance single-handedly at the Children’s part of the hospital and other off-site clinics. The Front Entrance Support Team has seen tens of thousands of patients in all kinds of weather; provided them with umbrellas, chairs and wheelchairs, and directed them around the hospital and other locations.

The team has to coordinate with the clinics to establish availability of space so that they can allow the correct number of patients to enter. Moorfields is located in a very old building, and lack of space makes it very difficult to socially distance patients. This means regularly keeping people waiting outside the hospital entrance and only allowing patients in 15min before their appointment time. This is a very challenging task, especially in cold / wet weather. Patients, who are already anxious can be confrontational and occasionally quite rude to the volunteers.

All patients are asked to attend alone if possible. However, with the support from the Outpatient Matron’s team the volunteers often need to establish if the patient genuinely requires additional support and therefore be allowed to come in with an accompanying person or they have to ask the companion to wait outside. This is not always easy as people can get very upset when asked to wait outside. However, this is necessary for everyone’s protection and the volunteers have dealt with some very difficult and quite emotional situations.

The team constantly responds to the changing nature of requirements as the restrictions change and demands adjust. Recently the entrance rules have been changed again and now volunteers are helping patients to sterilise their hands and get fresh masks from the mask dispensers. Moorfields are very proud to report that a very big team, over 50 people in total over the last year, has been involved in supporting the hospital and its patients in this way.

The volunteers have received numerous comments and praise from the patients and staff for their amazing contribution and dedication. Many volunteers from the team have been individually recognised for their efforts and the PALS department regularly receives very complimentary feedback from patients. Hospital staff and Matrons commented numerous times that the hospital would not be able to run safely without the help of the Front Entrance Volunteer Team.

The team is always responsive to whatever is required to continue to provide this much valuable service. The majority of patients attending Moorfields experience some kind of sight loss, either permanent or temporary. During the pandemic patients were only asked to attend in person if there was an immediate risk to either their sight or their life. The hospital is a challenging environment at any time, but with the added pressure of safety measures introduced to minimise the spread of the virus many visually impaired patients need extra help.

The front entrance volunteers have all been specially trained in ‘Leading and Guiding’ and are also offered a one day course ‘Supporting Visually Impaired People’ delivered in partnership with the RNIB. Volunteers help patients access PPE and then, if needed, escort them to their clinics. This means that more patients can attend without a companion, allowing for greater social distancing.

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