We are looking for volunteers who want to be alongside patients throughout the hospital, listening deeply, being responsive to their needs and offering a reassuring presence, while working as part of the wider ward team.
As well as basic training, there are a variety of options to specialise in one or more of the following areas of patient care:
- Patient Companions offer sensitive support to patients who are at their most vulnerable and who don’t receive many visitors.
- Compassionate Companions offer support to patients who are at the end-of-life.
- Cancer Companions support patients at the Berkshire Cancer Care Centre.
- Dialysis Companions sit regularly with dialysis patients.
- Forces Companions specifically support veterans and active service personnel.
All of these roles require excellent communication and interpersonal skills, together with a strong desire to care.
No previous experience is required as initial training and ongoing support is provided through workshops, one-to-ones and group reflective practice as well as immediate on-call support.
The Patient Companions programme is run by the Spiritual Healthcare team and is secular in nature. Volunteers need to be 17 or over and 21 years of age or over to support end-of-life patients due to the sensitive and complex nature of this work.
If you would like to become a Patient Companion we would love to hear from you. Simply email: Patient.Companions@royalberkshire.nhs.uk or call 0118 322 7105.