Vaegan Seminar: Handholding volunteers: Patient feedback analysis

Abstract: For the past two years Volunteers have been placed in the wards to talk to and calm patients who are awaiting surgery. As most surgery at Moorfields is carried out under local anaesthetic patients can be extremely anxious, and volunteers have also been specially trained to accompany patients into the theatre and hold their hand throughout the procedure. The key patient outcomes this project aims to achieve are: 

• Patients have their anxiety reduced and feel better about/during surgery. 
• Patients feel better about the service overall and the hospital itself. 

These outcomes are measured through a survey which is completed by patients while they are waiting to go home after surgery. Patients who received volunteer support and those who didn’t are both asked to complete the survey to compare their responses. All respondents are asked about how likely they would be to recommend the hospital and how they would rate the hospital on four patient-centred measures, while those who received volunteer support are also asked specific questions about this support.  

This presentation analyses the result of nearly 800 patient survey results and demonstrates the value of having handholding support to patients. We also look at the importance of this service to clinical staff.  

Bio:  Angela Smith is the Chief Executive of The Friends of Moorfields, a thriving, active member-led charity that has been supporting staff and patients at Moorfields Eye Hospital for the past 60 years .With a staff team of 10 people and over 250 volunteers the charity supports the hospital to deliver its core values of “Equity, Excellence and Kindness at the forefront of eye care”. Angela has extensive charity management experience, having also worked in the Independent Advocacy, and HIV/AIDS sectors. She was also born with cataracts and has been a lifelong Moorfields patient, undergoing numerous sight-saving surgeries and treatments, including a Boston KPro artificial cornea . She is dedicated to giving back to the hospital that has done so much for her own vision health. Angela brings passion and commitment to supporting Moorfields' work as one of the world's leading eye care providers. Her personal journey as a visually impaired patient informs her advocacy and fundraising to advance care, patient education, and training at Moorfields.