VOLUNTEERS from St John Ambulance are being deployed on the front line in the fight against COVID-19, providing patient care and support at Hillingdon Hospital.
Since the outbreak, the charity has provided ambulance crews, plus trained volunteers to work in hospitals, providing more than 100,000 hours of service since the start of April.
Now, St John is working in partnership with Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, providing up to half a dozen volunteers per shift, seven days a week, to support clinical teams at Hillingdon Hospital.
St John medical director Dr Lynn Thomas said: “In hospital emergency departments and associated wards, we’re sending in our experienced first-aiders to work under the supervision of nursing staff.
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“Their role is similar to that performed by healthcare assistants in a hospital setting, including routine work such as assisting patients with eating and drinking, patient hygiene, taking and noting observations, and general care and cleaning.”
The trust’s chief nurse, Camilla Wiley, said: "Their skill and expertise really has made a difference."
Since April 1 across England, more than 1,700 St John volunteers have been given specialist training in working with COVID-19 patients.
The number is climbing daily, and the charity’s team is also growing thanks to the addition of furloughed staff from airlines and holiday companies, including British Airways and Tui.
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