Home 2 Hospital – volunteer drivers needed
Home2Hospital is a vital service which helps rurally isolated seniors in the Slieve Gullian and Kilkeel areas get to their out of area hospital appointments. The service has literally been a life line to many, who otherwise would have to undertake an arduous journey by public transport to their appointments.
We are able to offer the service thanks to funding from the NMD District Council and the kindness of our volunteer drivers – and we are on the look out for a few more drivers for the Slieve Gullian area in particular. So if you are someone who would like to volunteer from time to time and likes driving… you could be exactly who we are looking for! Have a read of the below and please do reach out to us at Bolster Community for more information if this is something that interests you on 028 3083 5764.
Pictured is one of our Home 2 Hospital service users Mary Theresa Garvey, with Noel Evans (one of our Slieve Gullian based Home 2 Hospital volunteer drivers) and Paula McCracken, Home 2 Hospital service co-ordinator from Bolster Community.
Will I be expected to do a certain number of journeys per month?
- Not at all, we will work with your availability and you can judge each request on a case by case basis. So if you are available and you’d like to pick up a journey, that’s great. Some drivers do a couple of journeys a month, others one a month. It is really up to you and your availability at that time.
If I sign up, what happens next?
- If you are interested, we will register you and get your Access NI clearance sorted out. From there you will be added to our driver whatsapp group, and each time we have a new H2H request come through for your area, we will put it into the Volunteer driver group – just reply to that.
- You can also specify what journey’s you are comfortable with and what you will not be able to do.
- Once you have agreed to take a journey, Paula will confirm the details with you, and then it is over to you to pick up your passenger, take them to their appointment and then leave them home again.
Am I expected to stay with the service user?
- If required by the client, then yes, otherwise you can go get yourself a coffee and relax.
What about car insurance?
- You will have to notify your insurance company you are using your vehicle for volunteering purposes (this should not impact on the cost of your insurance but let us know if it does) – however all liability insurance sits with Bolster Community.
Am I paid for the mileage?
- Yes, just keep a record of your journey, you will be reimbursed 45p in every mile that you travel.
Do I need any training?
- We will put you through first aid training and will also supply a first aid kit for your car (we have never known a driver to have to use it yet!:)