As part of the Services Improvement team, part of Erika Aquino's role is to recruit and manage volunteers who work on the Service Pledge programme.
As part of the Services Improvement team, part of Erika Aquino's role is to recruit and manage volunteers who work on the Service Pledge programme.
The Service Pledge is a programme dedicated to delivering lasting positive change to everyone’s experience of breast cancer. We help hospitals gather patient and staff feedback on their breast care service through surveys and focus groups. The feedback gathered is discussed by patients, healthcare professionals and Cancer Alliance decision makers to find practical ways of making meaningful improvements. Patient Advocates are essential in helping us deliver the Service Pledge.
Volunteers can increase our impact
Patient Advocates are trained volunteers who have a personal experience of breast cancer but have not been treated at the hospitals we are working with. This means they can provide an independent and objective perspective within the Service Pledge.
Their role includes helping us to review the staff and patient feedback to suggest areas for improvements, as well as supporting local patient representatives to understand concerns and key priorities. They assist us in facilitating discussions between hospital staff and patients to identify realistic and effective improvements and afterwards, they hold hospitals to account, ensuring the patient voice is always listened to.
Most importantly, Patient Advocates are our expert sounding board. Their wealth of knowledge and insight about patients’ experience of care ensures that improvements accurately reflect the local patient needs. Working with healthcare professionals and understanding the pressures and challenges facing hospitals allows Patient Advocates to constructively challenge ideas and provide impartial advice.
We offer online and face-to-face training and support for our volunteers to help them feel comfortable and prepared for their role, as well as brushing up on their skills, such as objectivity and active listening. Combined with their natural talents such as excellent communication skills, respectfulness, willingness to collaborate and positive attitude, Patient Advocates really enhance the programme and increase its impact.
Patient Advocates are vital to our work
Patient Advocates are vital, not only for the smooth running but for the success of the Service Pledge. Our volunteers are extremely valuable to us and we are always so grateful for their time and support.
We know that volunteering can be empowering for those people affected by breast cancer and that they feel able to make a difference to the lives of others going through a similar experience.
Thank you to all of our Patient Advocate volunteers
Personally, I find working with volunteers exceptionally inspiring and rewarding in my job. Our Patient Advocates are always so enthusiastic and engaged with the work we do - whenever I need advice or insight, they are ready and willing to help.
I have learnt so much from these volunteers, especially what genuine compassion looks like. Their passion for the programme influences the way I work every day, motivating me to deliver the most meaningful improvements to breast cancer services. I’m in awe at how committed these individuals are to volunteering and how dedicated they are to helping us improve the lives of those affected by breast cancer.
To all our Patient Advocate volunteers, a heartfelt thank you. We can’t do the work we do without you.
Breast Cancer Now is always dedicated to finding the best volunteers and the most suitable patient advocates in order to help people affected by cancer. If you believe you would make a good advocate, we'd love to hear from you.