Befriending Service
The Prince & Princess of Wales Hospice offers a Volunteer Befrienders service, to tackle loneliness and social isolation for adult patients with a life-limiting illness. Our catchment area is the south of Glasgow and part of East Renfrewshire. We want to reduce social isolation, connect patients with their communities and improve their social skills and confidence. There is no cost to the patient for this service.
Befriending is carried out by our Volunteers who have had basic training on their role, but cannot provide personal care, moving and handling, shopping, medication administration and so on.
The Befriending Service is supported by Laurie Doyle, Manager, Janice Ralston and Anne Smith, Coordinators, Monday to Friday 9am until 4.30pm and are based in the Living Well Hub within The Prince & Princess of Wales Hospice, 20 Dumbreck Rd Glasgow G41 5BW – Telephone: 0141 429 5599
How to refer
GPs are invited to refer isolated adults with life-limiting illnesses via SCI Gateway
All other professionals should refer through the hospice website at https://www.princeandprincessofwaleshospice.org.uk/supporting-you/referrals
What is the Befriending process?
Once we receive a referral through the email route it is checked by the Befriending Team – Laurie Doyle, Manager, Janice Ralston and Anne Smith, Coordinators.
Once accepted or declined – you will be notified by email of the screening decision.
If declined, reasons why will be indicated.
The coordinators then contact the patient and/or carer and arrange a home visit. The coordinators will provide more information on the service, gather patient matching information (for example, hobbies, likes, dislikes, days, and times available/ preferred, carer info) and risk assess the patient and the environment to ensure a safe well-informed service.
The Befriender volunteer will be accompanied on the first visit by a member of the Befriending Team
We initially offer eight weekly sessions – from 1 to 3 hours on an agreed day each week (Tuesday to Fridays), and after discussion as to what suits the patient, with the possibility of an additional eight-week session (total 16 weeks) dependant on the capacity and demand on the service.
The Befriender and patient are contacted by the Befriending team before and after all visits, ensuring all is well, and any issues identified are dealt with promptly.
A Befriending Agreement is signed by all parties which clarifies the agreement they have undertaken with the PPWH in participating in a Befriending match and makes clear the roles, responsibilities and guidelines in relation to the Befriending Service.
