Dining Companions | Identifying patients suitable for support with feeding

Introduction

1. Dining Companion volunteers were introduced to support patients at mealtimes on our wards. Dining Companions support patients in a wide variety of ways from companionship, encouragement to eat and drink, offering alternatives, supporting patients to eat independently and spoon feeding.

2. All Dining Companion volunteers complete a robust training module which has been designed in partnership with speech and language therapists, dieticians, and the Dining Companion Coordinators. The training includes the importance of good nutrition and hydration, choices and restrictions, modified diet and fluids, signs of struggling, arriving on the ward, getting ready to help your patient and communication.

3. Once a volunteer has completed all their recruitment checks and the Dining Companion training, they will have a local induction on the ward with the Dining Companion Coordinator. They will also complete three feeding competencies on the ward with the Dining Companion Coordinator before being allowed to go onto the ward without direct supervision from the Coordinator.

For the full document please download the attachment.

Find out more about the service from our guest speaker Lucy Boulter, Volunteering Operation Lead, Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust on this webinar recording.

Pushing the boundaries: Developing safe and innovative volunteer roles

You may also be interested in

• Northern Care Alliance Meal Companion Training
  
• Mealtime (Dining Companion) training slides
• Measuring the impact of volunteer Dining Companions assisting patients at mealtimes - Insight & Impact service case study
• Mealtime companion role description
• More information can be found in the resources library under Mealtime Support
• More examples of role descriptions can be found in the Volunteer Role Library