Volunteers keep Hawke's Bay Hospital medical machine ticking over

Trish Lowe (left) and Maureen Grapes are among many others who volunteer at Hawke's Bay Hospital in the meet and greet service. Photo/Paul Taylor.

They are the people who greet you at the front entrance, add a touch of home to the sterile rooms, and provide a comforting hand to hold in some of life's toughest situations.

Arguably, they are the unsung heroes of the hospital.

Hawke's Bay District Health Board executive director of provider services, Sharon Mason, said their strong base of "volunteers are valued team members who enrich our DHB family".

"Our dedicated volunteers provide support in multiple ways and enrich our hospital environment and customer service on a daily basis with their kindness, compassion, diligence and even humour."​

More than 80 people give their time, helping as mental health volunteers for the partnership advisory group, St John volunteers for ED, Red Cross volunteers - delivering meals on wheels, or in the meet and greet service among other things.

And that's not all, with many others throughout health sector, including the Cancer Society and Cranford Hospice.

Mason said while many of the "selfless individuals" were retired, others had part-time jobs.

Meet and greet service volunteer Maureen Grapes has been one for the past three years - but it isn't the first time she has volunteered.

As a retired nurse she gives up her time twice a week, helping people find their way to various wards or clinics, and assisting teams and patients ready for discharge in the Transit Lounge to ensure a smooth and seamless transition between hospital and home.

The team, who work in shifts between 9am and 3pm Monday to Friday, also arrange for luggage transfers, wheelchairs, refreshments, and parking for family members directly outside the front entrance to ensure ease of transition to vehicles.​

Over the course of a year, more than 1000 trips are made between the volunteer meet and greet front help desk and the transit lounge.

"I think I get more out of being a volunteer than what I give," she said.

While it's not always possible, Grapes tries to speak to every person who enters the front door.

"I get to see everyone from newborn babies to people in their late 90s - a cross-section of the community."

As for when she plans to stop giving - it might be a while yet. "I will only stop when I can't push the wheelchairs."

On Monday, they had a celebratory lunch for the volunteers.

"We heard from many that they volunteer to give back to the community," Mason said. "They also get a lot of joy being a volunteer and being able to help."

Areas volunteers help in at Hawke's Bay Hospital:
Meet and greet service
Flower arrangements
Library helpers
Mental health for the partnership advisory group
St John for ED
Red Cross - delivering meals on wheels
Friends of the hospital - knitting and raising money
ICU with dogs
Coffin builders