Making every step count: Kimara’s journey as a Discharge Response volunteer
13th May 2026
“What you’re doing is making their job easier.”
At Alexandra Hospital in Redditch, Monday mornings begin quietly but quickly pick up pace. Kimara Sharpe, a dedicated Discharge Response Volunteer, known affectionately as a “drug runner”, starts her shift by collecting medication deliveries from the hospital pharmacy. With purposeful efficiency, she navigates the wards, ensuring vital medicines reach clinical staff promptly. Each delivery saves precious minutes, allowing healthcare professionals to focus on patient care when every second matters.
Kimara’s role may seem simple, but its impact is profound. “You hand over the medication, they sign for it, and you go,” she explains. “What you’re doing is making their job easier.”
Her quiet service eases pressure on a stretched system, one corridor and one delivery at a time.
Volunteering is not new to Kimara. With a nursing background and years of experience in hospital administration, including a senior leadership role, she stepped away from the NHS in 2020. Yet, her commitment to giving back brought her back - not as staff, but as a volunteer. Alongside her pharmacy runs, Kimara serves as Vice Chair of the Trust’s Patient and Public Forum, working alongside fellow volunteers to be the voice of patients, relatives, and carers.
The Forum’s work is often behind the scenes but deeply impactful. From ward visits and patient conversations to audits and preparing for Care Quality Commission inspections, their efforts build a better hospital experience. Simple changes, like introducing healthier snacks in vending machines or improving navigation for visually impaired patients, demonstrate how small actions can make an enormous difference.
“It’s about asking the questions people might not think to ask,” Kimara says. “And then making sure something is done about it.”
Her lifelong dedication to volunteering is rooted in a family tradition of public service. “Volunteering is in my blood,” she reflects. “I wouldn’t feel comfortable if I wasn’t giving something back.”
As her Monday shift ends and the hospital quiets, Kimara returns home with the satisfaction of having made things easier for others. No emails, no follow-ups, just the quiet knowledge that her contribution matters. And next week, she’ll be ready to do it all again.
This story highlights the vital role volunteers play in healthcare, showing how working alongside dedicated individuals like Kimara supports smoother hospital operations and enhances patient experience. Together, we can make every step count.