Downe Hospital volunteer is greeting guests

Downe Hospital volunteer is greeting guests

2 December 2015

A HEALTH campaigner has taken on a new volunteering role in the heart of the Downe Hospital where he wants to see more services provided for patients.

Macartan Digney is one of the Downe’s new “meeters and greeters” and is thoroughly enjoying his role at the front desk of the £64m facility where he meets and directs patients and visitors to where they need to go.

As a member of the Down Community Health Committee, the Downpatrick man is very much aware of concerns people had about no one manning the reception desk at the Downe so he decided to do something about it.

He signed up for a training course and now works as a meeter and greeter two days a week, admitting he is surprised at the number of people visiting the hospital which is also home to two 

GP surgeries.

Macartan now has a front row seat monitoring the comings and goings at a hospital he is deeply passionate about and a building which he wants to see utilised to the full, delivering 24-hour A&E services and providing a dedicated coronary care unit. A&E services have been downgraded while the coronary ward has been axed.

“I can meet people at the front door and direct them to the various clinics and GP surgeries. I believe this is a fantastic service as patients are sometimes nervous when they attend hospital. A welcoming smile at the door can make all the difference,” he continued.

Macartan said more volunteers are required to work at the Downe and revealed when he discovered the South Eastern Trust was looking for volunteers, he was delighted to offer his services.

“The absence of someone at the front desk to greet people was an issue which has been discussed by health campaigners on several occasions. When the opportunity arose to perform this role I was only too happy to help,” he said. “I am a very keen supporter of the Downe and we all want to see it providing as wide a range of services as possible. That said, I have been very surprised at the high numbers of people coming through the door for various appointments.”

Macartan admitted while the focus is on what services have been lost from the Downpatrick hospital, he said it is clear from the number of 

people he has greeted that out-patient and day-patient services are being widely used.

Macartan argued his short time at the Downe confirms his view and that of local campaigners that the South Eastern Trust should employ someone to man the hospital reception desk on a permanent basis and not rely on a volunteer to provide the service.

“I am more than happy to volunteer and have no doubt others would be as well. But I feel the job I am doing is a job for a full-time member of staff. I can see up to 200 people a day and there is certainly a need for the reception desk to be manned on a full-time basis,” he said.

Macartan added: “Some people have come in asking for a service that is no longer here, for example, the dedicated coronary care unit which closed and merged with a medical ward.

“I certainly have a greater appreciation about what goes on at the Downe and recognise the need for the services we have lost to be reinstated. Services were closed on a temporary basis, some almost two years ago, but they still have not been returned. This is a great place and people are delighted to have a local hospital, but would like the services that have been lost reintroduced.”

Anyone interested in volunteering at the Downe or any local health facility should contact Volunteer Services, telephone (028) 9056 4817, to learn more details about the application process.