Dining Companions

Optimising patient dining and catering

A three month pilot has begun within the adult in-patient unit with "The Dining Companions" initiative, which aims to enhance the experience of Hospice patients through practical support and social companionship at meal times, championing and supporting patient well-being.

Our current bedroom volunteers have been very involved with the development of the initiative taking on extra duties to become dining companions, developing their responsibilities as part of the excellent support they already offer the staff, patients and their families. This really encompasses how our volunteers are ordinary people doing extraordinary things.

The feedback so far has been excellent from patients and those who matter to them, our In Patient Unit staff and the Dining Companions volunteers themselves. We are delighted with the initiative so far and look forward to developing this further.