Whenever patients receive treatment, the Trust wants them to have the best possible experience and outcome. To achieve this, the Trust welcomes help from volunteer members of the public.
For the patients, this unpaid work helps to make their experience in hospital less stressful and more pleasant. For the volunteers it can provide an opportunity to meet new people from all walks of life, to learn new skills and to develop new interests.
As a volunteer, you can work directly for the Trust as a 'Patient and Public Member' or as part of one of the many schemes listed below.

Patient & Public Involvement (PPI)

North East Wales NHS Trust uses members of the public to help it improve the services it offers to the people of North East Wales, and beyond.
One way of doing this is to ask former patients what they changes they think the Trust should make. For example mothers who had their babies in the Maternity Unit were asked to join a Focus Group to suggest improvements to the maternity services.
This work led to the maternity unit wining a UK award for this involvement of patients in improving the service. (for further details see the news story Royal College of Midwives 2006 Johnson's Baby Award for Excellence in Midwifery Management and Leadership.)

Another way is for members of the public to become Public Members. These people could be former patients, but they are just members of the public who want to help the Trust improve its services. These Public Members sit alongside Trust staff on internal committees and working groups looking at all aspects of the Trust’s services. For further information, go to the Public Patient Involvement page

The Trust has appointed Diane Henderson as the full time Public Patient Involvement Manager to make Public Patient Involvement really work within the Trust.
Diane has worked for the NHS for 15 years, with the majority of her career being spent in quality development, Clinical Governance and PPI.

Working with Diane is Janet Robinson who has worked for the North East Wales NHS Trust for 13 years, starting in Clinical Governance in March 2005.

If you want to find out more about getting involved in helping the Trust by getting involved as a Public Member, please contact Janet or Diane to get further information about PPI in the Trust.

Janet is on 01978-727475, or by e-mail to :- Janet.Robinson@new-tr.wales.nhs.uk
Diane is on 01978-727475, or by e-mail to :- diane.henderson@new-tr.wales.nhs.uk

Voluntary organisations working with the Trust
For further information on any of the activities below, please contact the Association of Voluntary Organisations in Wrexham (AVOW) on 01978 312566.

Maelor Voluntary Services

Maelor Voluntary Services manages a number of projects within Wrexham Maelor Hospital; has nearly 200 members providing cafeteria services in the hospital’s Main Entrance and other outpatient areas You can find more information here, including how to become a member.

League of Friends

The League of Friends has 500 members providing a number of services within the Trust primarily shops/newsagents and mobile shop trolleys to wards. For more information on how to become a member, please call 01978 725051

Frank Wingett Cancer Appeal

The Frank Wingett Cancer Appeal has for many years operated a shop/book service within the Wrexham Maelor Hospital. Contact AVOW for more information.

Radio Maelor

The Maelor Hospital’s radio service aims to provide comfort and entertainment to patients in hospital with a special mix of music and chat. The service also keeps patients in touch with their family and friends with music requests. The radio service at the Maelor Hospital has been running for decades. Contact AVOW for more information.

Chaplains’ Helpers

These Helpers assist the Hospital Chaplaincy Service by visiting patients and relatives whilst in hospital. For further information, contact the team during office hours, Monday to Friday, on 01978 725590 or via the main switchboard at other times on 01978 291100. The hospital Chapel at the Maelor is located on the main corridor just past Reception Entrance A. Community hospitals have their own contact arrangements for Chaplains.

Acorn Listening Service

This is a Christian listening service which provides trained listeners. You can find the listeners in the Maelor Hospital’s Main Entrance every Thursday morning. For further information, please call 01978-822573 or 01978-846151.

Gardening Club

For a number of years a local Gardening Club has tended the garden adjacent to the Maelor Hospital’s Occupational Therapy Department; this garden is now tended by the Probation Service.

British Red Cross Home to Hospital Scheme

Twenty volunteers support the discharge of patients from hospital back to their homes; volunteers carry out a range of duties such as shopping, providing companionship and liaising with other agencies.

Breast Feeding Mentoring

Health Visitors Services have recently introduced this innovative scheme that provides support to new mothers who are breast-feeding. Other mothers who have successfully breast-fed provide the support under the guidance of Health Visitors.

Advocacy Services

These services are provided by a number of voluntary sector and self help organisations such as Brighter Futures; there are regular sessions in the Trust’s acute Mental Health Department.

CALL Helpline

The North East Wales NHS Trust’s Mental Health Helpline is managed by employees of the Trust but is mainly staffed by 32 volunteer call-handlers. CALL (Community Advice & Listening Line) offers emotional support and information/literature on mental health and related matters to the people of Wales. This is a free, confidential telephone helpline service for those who feel the need to talk through their experiences and feelings. For more information, take a look at the CALL website.

Volunteers are needed to staff helplines, give out information and offer a 'listening ear'. For further information or details on how you can become involved, please contact CALL, by telephone (0800 132737) or at the CALL website.

Opportunities for Voluntary Work outside the Trust

Wrexham

For volunteering advice and opportunities in the Wrexham area, please contact 'The Association of Voluntary Organisations in Wrexham (AVOW)

Telephone: 01978 312566
Website: www.avow.org

Flintshire

For volunteering advice and opportunities in the Flintshire area, please contact Flintshire Local Voluntary Council (FLVC)

Telephone: 01352 755008
Website: www.flvc.org.uk