From peonies to patients – new role for gardening volunteer in A&E department

19 December 2023

For the past three years, Brian Hargreaves has been cultivating the gardens and terraces outside the Royal Free Hospital: now, he’s turning his attention indoors – tending to the patients of the hospital’s A&E department.

For the past three years, Brian Hargreaves has been cultivating the gardens and terraces outside the Royal Free Hospital: now, he’s turning his attention indoors – tending to the patients of the hospital’s A&E department.

Brian is taking part in a pilot project to see how Royal Free Charity volunteers can improve the experience of patients attending the emergency and urgent treatment centres at Barnet and the Royal Free hospitals.

Brain said: “I was motivated to start volunteering in the emergency department as I always said if I was going to do something indoors at the hospital, I would like to be active and involved.  I knew this was a trial project and an evolving role and so that interested me too.”

A&E volunteers help patients and relatives with directions to the different areas in the emergency department as well as escorting them to other parts of the hospital for procedures such as x-ray scans.

A large part of the role is explaining the waiting procedures and helping patients to understand what they are waiting for. He explained: “It is satisfying and you get a lot out of it. I do a lot of reassuring anxious patients. I am learning more about how to recognise the patients who may be more anxious.

“When patients don’t have relatives with them, they don’t want to get up to even go to the toilet in case their name is called. I can be there to reassure them that they haven’t been missed.”

Anne Butler is a former nurse at the Royal Free Hospital who has previously volunteered to support the COVID-19 vaccination programme. She finds her knowledge of the hospital can come in handy. She said: “One patient came in with a broken arm and her husband was an in-patient on one of the wards upstairs. They were both worried about the other. I was able to go between them and let each of them know the other was ok.”

Barbara Edwards has been volunteering in the A&E department for six weeks and brings her two years’ volunteering experience on the hospital’s wards to her role. She focuses on guiding patients to the right department, providing reassurance to those waiting, and offering a comforting presence to patients who just want to talk.

Barbara said: “People can come in quite distressed. I can get them tissues, a wheelchair if needed or just a cup of tea or water; many people feel that they can’t go to get a hot drink, or even go to the toilet, as they are frightened that they will lose their place in the queue. I can help to alleviate that anxiety.

The role was created by the charity as part of an intensive programme of support for the Royal Free London’s emergency services, which includes a fundraising appeal.

The charity is aiming to raise money for a range of projects such as:

• bespoke calm spaces for children with neurodivergent conditions to help reduce their distress, thus speeding up examinations and treatment.
• a suite of measures to reduce disorientation and distress for patients with dementia.
• specialist seating for patients who experience pain and discomfort due to orthopaedic conditions or limited mobility.
• specialist mattresses for patients who have to wait on trolleys in A&E which will reduce the risk of them developing pressure sores.
• toys and activities for children and teenagers awaiting treatment to help pass the time and distract them from their discomfort.
• renovated staff areas to create a more restful environment for staff on breaks during 12-hour shifts.

Visit our dedicated appeal pages to find out more about how you can help us to support the staff and patients of our emergency and urgent care departments.