Davina and Elaine Provide Support to Health and Social Care Workers
It is ... evident to me that this service is widely appreciated and has helped so many during the pandemic and I am proud to have been a part of it.
Elaine
Two Samaritans of Dunfermline Volunteers have been participating in the NHS and Social Care Helpline supporting those health workers who have given so much during the pandemic.
Davina and Elaine, both Listening Volunteers with Samaritans of Dunfermline, have given their valuable time to this helpline.
Davina tell us, “It has been really good to have the opportunity to contribute to the NHS service while I've not been coming into the branch as it has made me feel that I'm still being useful. The shifts are slightly different to ours in the Branch in that they are 4 hours long.”
Davina continues, “Until very recently we have only been able to do this work as long as we are not working in our branches but that has just been changed so that we are going to be allowed to do both going forward, which is great.”
For her part Elaine said, “I have taken calls from those from a social work background as well as care workers, paramedics and clinicians who just need to talk to someone who will listen and give them the time to hear their concerns. The calls are a very wide variety and from all walks of life. It is also evident to me that this service is widely appreciated and has helped so many during the pandemic and I am proud to have been a part of it.”
Davina and Elaine being friends has also helped with their work on the helpline, supporting each other and sharing knowledge and good practice.
It has just been announced that the milestone of 10,000 calls to the NHS and Social Care line has been reached. Both Davina and Elaine have contributed to this success and we congratulate and thank both of them for the incredible work they have done over this difficult last year to make this possible, especially given the speed at which the service was set up.
The support that this helpline has offered to health workers during this pandemic has been invaluable. They have been under an immense amount of stress and pressure as they work to look after our society. We are proud that two of our volunteers have done their bit to support them in turn.