Date: 17th January, 2017
Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service (DWFRS) is joining forces with Dorset County Hospital (DCH) and Dorset Adult & Community Social Care on a trial Safe and Well campaign called ‘Help You Home’.
Working closely with the British Red Cross, ‘Help You Home’ builds upon their ‘Support at Home’ campaign by using DWFRS volunteers to help deliver the swift and safe discharge of patients from DCH to get them home, then providing support to allow them to return to independence.
The pilot scheme will work with three wards in the hospital and will include the patients being offered free Safe and Well checks from DWFRS. If successful, the scheme is expected to be expanded across the hospital.
The level of support on offer ranges from helping patients home, to collecting prescriptions and daily visits to check they are able to cope at home and that they have a suitable amount of food in the house.
With a broad network of dedicated volunteers in and around Dorchester, DWFRS are perfectly placed to work alongside DCH and the British Red Cross by delivering this interim service, which includes patients being offered free Safe and Well checks by the Service.
Head of Prevention, Lorraine Hunt said: “We are very fortunate to have exceptional volunteers who dedicate their time to help DWFRS make a positive difference in our communities. This is one area where we know we can help to make a real difference at a personal level and within the wider health care system.”
The service is free, flexible, strictly confidential, and is provided by skilled and trained volunteers all of whom have had an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.
If you’re interesting in becoming a dedicated ‘Help You Home’ volunteer, or fulfilling a more traditional volunteer role for Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service, please email [email protected] or call us on 01722 691000.