Navigating a busy hospital can be stressful, especially when you're unwell, anxious or in a hurry. Our Hospital Guides are a friendly first point of contact for thousands of patients and visitors every year, offering reassurance, directions and a warm welcome.
Based at Wellington, Kenepuru and Hutt Hospitals, Guides clock up plenty of steps as they escort patients to appointments, answer questions and help people feel at ease in an unfamiliar environment.
Why it matters
More than 57,000 people received support from our hospital guides last year.
Meet Pamela
Pamela immigrated to New Zealand from the UK 16 years ago and joined our volunteer whānau after the first COVID lockdown.
COVID gave me time to reflect on what really mattered. I decided I wanted to give some of my time to volunteering and be somewhere I could be helpful.
She began in the Transit Lounge, offering conversation, cups of tea and a friendly face to patients waiting for discharge or follow up care. Today she also volunteers as a Hospital Guide.
It’s been fun helping patients find their way. I get my daily steps in and I know I’m doing something that really matters. There’s no pressure - you can volunteer as much or as little as you like. I always leave feeling fulfilled.
Thanks to volunteers like Pamela, people arriving at our hospitals feel a little more cared for.