Ann McDonnell and colleagues evaluate the effect that non-staff support had on an orthopaedic ward

This article reports on an evaluation of the effect of an on-ward volunteer service in an acute orthopaedic ward with a number of dementia patients. A mixed-methods evaluation was undertaken in 2012. This included interviews with individuals who have strategic, management, operational and clinical roles in the voluntary organisation and the NHS trust, focus group discussions with volunteers, non-participant observations of practice and focused conversations with ward staff. The service had a positive effect on patient experience. Patients were engaged through a variety of activities and enjoyed the volunteers’ presence. Staff valued the initiative because they could see the difference that it made to patients and their own working lives.

The lessons learned from the evaluation can inform the development of similar initiatives elsewhere and are relevant, given the emphasis in healthcare policy to improve patient experience.