The RCH Emergency Department (ED) volunteer team has won the 2016 Minister for Health Volunteer Award in the ‘Improving the Patient Experience’ category.

Nick Pace, Nick Fulkoski, Lynda Cameron and Ranjeet Starr received the award for their work improving our patients’ experience of care in the demanding Emergency Department.

“While it’s impossible to put a price on the work volunteers do supporting some of our most sick and vulnerable Victorians, today’s awards go some way to honouring them for their tireless work,” Minister for Health Jill Hennessy said.

Latest figures show more than 160,000 people volunteer in health organisations across Victoria.

“Volunteers are the backbone of our health system. It’s no coincidence that as the best health system in Australia, Victoria is also home to our most dedicated and talented volunteers,” Minister Hennessy added.

As a direct result of his experiences as an after-hours volunteer in ED, last year RCH volunteer Ranjeet Starr (pictured far right) resigned his Corporate Communications/PR role to become a Youth Residential Worker, and has begun retraining as a nurse.

“I wanted to contribute,” Ranjeet said. “I have been pretty lucky with my life so far and I wanted to give something back.”

As a result, every Saturday night Ranjeet spends three hours in the ED, providing support to families, patients and siblings, as well as training new volunteers.

“You do see a lot of very confronting situations. You see a lot of raw human emotion – people aren’t always at their best. I tell a lot of the new volunteers you need to focus on providing the simple things that can make a big difference,” Ranjeet added.

“We do a lot of meeting and greeting people in the waiting room, an enormous amount of getting tea, coffee and other drinks, we can prepare food for patients and assist medical and nursing staff, and we can provide respite care if the parents want to go and move their car or go and get some fresh air.”

“I think the term ‘life changing’ is overused in general, but I really think this is life changing because it gives you a greater perspective on life; no matter what problems I have in my personal life, it reminds me not to get caught up in it – it’s not that big a deal.”

Congratulations to the team!