Friends of the Emergency Department and Hospital Friends

Friends of the Emergency Department and Hospital Friends are part of the Hato Hone St John Community Care structure. They provide a much needed patient driven service at the local Thames Hospital.

Here in Thames the service began in October 2003 with seven volunteers, now in 2012 we are still going strong and our ranks have increased to 17 members.
FEDs provide comfort, information and support of a non clinical nature to patients (and their relatives) while they are awaiting or undergoing treatment in the emergency department, thus assisting staff in the carrying out of their tasks.

FEDs provide an avenue of communication between patients, staff and families.
FEDs are all volunteers. They give their time and care, comforting and helping people at a time when they are stressed, disorientated or hurt.

Feds assist Thames emergency department staff by...

Sitting with listening and comforting patients
Assisting relatives in family (Whanau) rooms, and supporting them as required
Keeping a reassuring eye on patients in the waiting room
Offering a shoulder to cry on or a hand to hold
Assisting with dependant relatives or children
Helping delivery and serving of meals/tea and coffee
Finding magazines and telephones
Making beds at busy times

Hospital Friends

The Thames Hospital Friends commenced in April 2007 following in the footsteps of the very successful Friends of the Emergency Department team.

The role of the Hospital Friends is to offer comfort, information and support to patients within the general surgical wards of Thames Hospital by having a chat, getting a cuppa, answering general questions or maybe just sitting quietly. They offer friendship to patients who may otherwise not have visitors.

The friends began with just 5 volunteers and they number twelve today, and there is someone on duty for four hours (10am to 2pm) every week day.

To become a Hato Hone St John Friend of the Emergency Department volunteer, or a Hospital friend, you will need...

Excellent communication skills
An ability to engage with people and understand how they feel
Good listening skills
A genuine interest in the well-being of others
The ability to work four hours once a week between 10am and 2pm or 2pm and 6pm

For further information or to apply to join the Thames Friends of the Emergency department or Hospital friends, please contact:

Frank Booth

Manager

Friends of the Emergency Department

Ph 0800 780 780

or click here to complete our online form.