Airedale Hospital managers approved a series of objectives and actions designed to protect vulnerable patients.
The hospital – along with other NHS trusts – was asked to review its arrangements governing access to patients by volunteers following allegations of sexual abuse at hospitals by TV and radio presenter Jimmy Savile. None of these allegations relate to Airedale.
Last Wednesday’s meeting of Airedale’s board of directors accepted a list of safeguards. These include stipulations that volunteers at Airedale get the support they need from staff and are trained for their specific roles.
Volunteers at the hospital are also required to wear a badge incorporating their name and photograph.
Non-executive director, Anne Gregory, warned: “The line between volunteers assisting us with things like patient feedback and breaching patient confidentiality is a very delicate one.”
She added Airedale needed to be clear about what constitutes appropriate or inappropriate patient-volunteer engagement.
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