Sir – In reply to the letter from Mrs Dorothy Holloway of Minster Lovell (March 31), I agree completely with her statement that a patient/visitor needs a guiding hand in negotiating the many, long corridors in Oxford’s hospitals, in order to reach the right appointment venue.
The Radcliffe Infirmary had an excellent service of this kind and one that I noted many years ago when accompanying my late mother for treatment.
However, a help desk service does exist and indeed has existed for 19 years, firstly set up under the wing of the then voluntary services manager in the Churchill Hospital and originally manned by five volunteers.
The volunteers, mostly ex-professionals and retired, were expected to advise, assist and guide patients and visitors alike to their destinations within the hospital.
The service was so well received that eventually help desks were set up at the John Radcliffe Hospital and more volunteers recruited. Staff and patients greatly appreciate the help desk service and the volunteers themselves find the work satisfying and rewarding and a wonderful way in which to keep in touch with people and at the same fulfilling a need.
I do of course speak from long-term experience. Sadly though, volunteers are few and far between and many more are needed to man the desks both in the mornings and afternoons, and hopefully more interested people will come forward to help with this worthwhile service to our hospitals.
Barbara Bunyan (Mrs), Help desk founder member, Oxford
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