Celebrating our amazing volunteers We shine a spotlight on their kindness and dedication
Celebratingouramazingvolunteers
As part of Volunteer’s Week, we want to shine the light on our wonderful teams of volunteers.
From enhanced support volunteers (ESVs), the Volunteer Drivers, Chaplaincy and the Meet and Greet team - our volunteers are vital in providing quality and compassionate care.
Across the Trust, our volunteers play an important role every single day - offering a friendly face, a listening ear, and practical support where it’s needed most.
From welcoming patients and visitors, to supporting our teams behind the scenes, their kindness and dedication help make Barnsley Hospital a warm and caring place to be.
Wecan’tdoitwithoutyou
Come rain or shine, Christmas or Easter - our meet and greet, coffee shop, ESVs, volunteer drivers, and chaplaincy volunteers work tirelessly to support our patients. Thank you!
ThankyoutoourMacmillanPODvolunteers
Our volunteers are at the very heart of the POD and are an invaluable, integral part of the support offered to patients and families at Barnsley Hospital.
Many bring their own lived experiences of cancer, allowing them to truly understand what people may be going through. This insight helps them offer genuine empathy, reassurance and connection at a time when it is needed most.
Whether it’s helping someone find the right information, offering a friendly chat or assisting with everyday tasks that keep the POD running smoothly, their presence makes a real difference.
ThankyoutoTheWell ComplementaryTherapy, CancerandInformationCentre
We opened The Well over 15 years ago to offer Complementary Therapies to cancer patients. The volunteers have been part of our team from the beginning and some of our volunteers have been there week in and week out from the start.
Some of our volunteers joined us at The Well because they had experienced the service in some capacity and saw what a lovely service was available and wanted to be a part of it.
Our volunteers have given their time for many years and bring their own special personalities and experience to The Well. They not only work on their rostered days; they are always happy to provide cover when other volunteers are not available. They meet and greet our clients and have a cuppa and a chat with them while they are waiting or following their appointment.
Thankyoutohospitalvolunteers
Among our wonderful volunteers is Kitty Kirk, an amazing young volunteer aged just 17, who recently won a Heart Award - a glowing and well deserved tribute from the hospital to honour outstanding work.
Kitty volunteers with the hospital’s Patient Experience & Voluntary Services Team.
For Volunteers Week, the hospital Patient Experience Team is holding a celebration event today (Friday 5 June) in the Trust’s Education Centre with games, quizzes and treats to give thanks to its fantastic volunteers.
Colleagues, patients and visitors have been invited to give a shout-out to a volunteer or a volunteer team who they think deserves recognition.
The hospital also took part in a Volunteer Awareness and Recruitment drop-in event on Wednesday (3 June) at Barnsley Civic.
Kitty Kirk
Barnsley Cancer Action Group meets bi-monthly with our Trust Lead Cancer Nurse and team to help shape future cancer care initiatives here at the Trust.
We have a wonderful resource amongst these individuals who all give up their own time to provide that personal experience, which is invaluable to us as health care professionals. All of them having had a cancer themselves or cared for a loved one with cancer.
The patient’s voice is truly heard when working with this group as they provide that lived experience.
We are currently working with them on a new big project called ‘Care Without Walls’.
The aim being to hopefully be able to create comfortable and calm spaces for patients and their loved ones in the end phases of someone’s life.
ThankyoutoourNorahNewmanvolunteers
Our Norah Newman volunteers provide a comforting and supportive presence to patients and those important to them when the person is reaching the end of their life.
The volunteer does not carry out physical or nursing care but is here to sit with patients and
keep them or their family company in a befriending and supportive role.
It could be that the family are worried about leaving their loved ones for long periods of time so they may really appreciate some extra support from the volunteer.
Thank you to all our Nora Newman volunteers – you are truly amazing.
We will soon provide training to 18 in-house volunteers to upskill and become end of life support for our patients.
Thankyoutoour BarnsleyHospital
Our charity volunteers play a vital role in supporting patients, families and colleagues, helping to create a welcoming and compassionate environment across the Trust.
Whether they are supporting fundraising events, running the charity hub, or raising awareness
of important campaigns, their dedication makes a real and lasting difference.
Their impact extends beyond fundraising alone. In the past year, their efforts have helped raise over £21,000 to support improvements across the hospital, while also bringing warmth, kindness and reassurance to those who need it most.
“From running our charity hub, helping at events or fundraising themselves their support makes a real difference, helping us achieve our goals and positively impact the projects we support to benefit our patients and staff. ” - Jane Mills, Charity Development Manager
Barnsley Hospital is introducing digital consent to improve how patients are supported to make informed decisions about their care.
The new system replaces paper forms with an electronic process that links consent directly to up-to-date patient information leaflets. Patients can review information at home, discuss it with family, and sign forms in clinic or remotely, helping move away from consent being taken on the day of a procedure.
Digital consent will ensure forms are always legible and securely stored, reducing the risk of documents being lost while improving access for clinical review. It will support safer, more consistent decisionmaking and enhance patient experience.
The rollout will take place over the coming months, with support available for teams and patients as the Trust transitions to a fully digital process.
Digital consent is not just about technology. It’s about improving the consent process for our patients and for us as clinicians.
It is a much better process, both medical, legally, and for patient safety.
We need your support to take this forward. We’ll be working with you over the next few months to introduce this, and your feedback is key in making this work.
Mr Bannister talks to clinicians about what the new process means for them.
Watch on Vimeo
Deputy Medical Director Mr Jeremy Bannister
QUALITY IMPROVEMENT
Reducing Deconditioning
The project aimed to reduce hospital deconditioning by increasing the percentage of patients out of bed from 30% to 45% by April 2026. Change ideas included staff education, mobility prompts, handover changes, and checklists.
Achievements exceeded expectations, with the percentage of patients out of bed rising from 30% to 54.87%, as well as improved staff and patient awareness.
Read more about this and other QI projects on the Hub
Marcus Dearns Practice Educator, Deconditioning
The initiative strengthened understanding of deconditioning and mobility, and ward-specific ownership and visible prompts were associated with higher proportions of patients mobilising. Next steps include monthly check-ins with movement matters champions.
Deconditioning will remain a Trust priority, with ongoing education sessions delivered and ward-level initiatives supported through existing improvement structures.
ONE DAY. EVERY PROFESSION. ONE CELEBRATION.
WEDNESDAY 10 JUNE
11:00AM - 2:30PM
COLLIERS RESTAURANT
Save the date: We look forward to seeing you at our Trust‐wide Celebration Day, recognising the dedication, skill and impact of every role across our hospital. While profession‐specific celebration days will continue, this shared event is about celebrating what unites us –working together to provide outstanding care and support for our patients and each other.
Find out more about the Celebration Event on the Hub
Taking place at Colliers Restaurant between 11am and 2.30pm, the event will feature indoor and outdoor market‐style stalls, with different professions showcasing their work through activities and engagement.
There will also be a range of treats available, including vegan and gluten‐free options, with celebrations extended to departments and night‐duty teams so no one is missed.
Meet Lottie and Rosie:
Lottie (left) is a princess, loves a cuddle and rolling around on the grass! Rosie (right) is bonkers, never stays still and loves muddy puddles.
Leeann Newsome Inclusion and
Wellbeing
Administration Support Officer
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