Council worker volunteers receive thanks from Royal Stoke University Hospital
Redeployed workers from city council services temporarily closed during the pandemic have been thanked for taking on volunteer roles to support Royal Stoke University Hospital’s critical care unit .
Seventeen staff from Stoke-on-Trent City Council services including leisure centres, libraries, museums, and workforce learning development, took on the roles to help the hospital to respond to a rise in coronavirus cases in January this year.
The volunteers have now been presented with certificates of thanks and honorary UHNM family badges to thank them for their selfless commitment to helping at a time when it was really needed.
Their tasks in the critical care unit included:
- Housekeeping, cleaning administration desk and cupboards associated with those areas.
- Supporting hospital staff to get into PPE and take off PPE.
- Telephone call handling and administering for the clinical pod teams, so that messages get to the right staff promptly and are responded to swiftly.
- Replenishing stocks in the clinical pods.
- Facilitating Facetime calls between patients and their families.
Jill Bogucki, UHNM Critical Care Matron, said: The support that was given by each individual stepping forward and volunteering to work in Critical Care was nothing short of remarkable. To come to an area, which for many seems scary and completely alien and work under the conditions of a pandemic took immense bravery. We cannot thank them enough for the help they gave us, whether it was the general tasks of the unit to making and facilitating family zoom calls, their contribution and work ethic was valued more than words can ever say.”
Helen Ashley, UHNM Director of Strategy, said: “The offer of support from the City Council came at just the right time and we were so humbled. It gave a clear message of solidarity and support, with one big partnership working together to support our communities and our patients.
“The volunteers all came from such different backgrounds and each of them played such an important role.”
City council staff said the experience had changed them in a positive way and reported they felt supported and welcome by the team in the critical care unit.