Stage 1 Review
Project Diagnostic Service Call Volunteers (Norfolk and Waveney Health and Care Partnership) By Sibel Atlas
- Title Diagnostic Service Call Volunteers (Norfolk and Waveney Health and Care Partnership)
- Setting Hospital
- Objective To keep in contact with patients on with an upcoming appointment with the aim of keeping them informed, making sure they are well prepared and have the support they need to attend their appointment.
Beneficiaries
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Volunteers
As a result of taking on the Contact Centre role, volunteers should be provided with training and experience that will help them to develop new skills, build their confidence and ultimately lead to a positive volunteering experience.
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Organisation
If patients are assisted to attend appointments whilst waiting, this will likely result in an improved patient flow for the organisation.
Audiences
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Senior Leadership
To increase buy in to volunteering services, and potentially further investment, for example, the Director of Finance, Director of Transformation and Innovation, and Director of Nursing.
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Staff
If calls are being made for a particular department or team within your organisation, those teams may be interested to see the impact the calls are having on their patients and may help to sell the service into other departments when scaling.
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Volunteers
To hear about the difference their support is making to the people they help.
Review Design
Project Diagnostic Service Call Volunteers (Norfolk and Waveney Health and Care Partnership) By Sibel Atlas
Outcome model
Data model
Data Collection Dashboard
Project Diagnostic Service Call Volunteers (Norfolk and Waveney Health and Care Partnership) By Sibel Atlas
This project has now completed. Please navigate to the 'Evaluate' page.
Evaluation Dashboard
Project Diagnostic Service Call Volunteers (Norfolk and Waveney Health and Care Partnership) By Sibel Atlas
Evaluation Findings - January 2026
The Volunteer-led Diagnostic Reminder Calls programme supports patients ahead of their diagnostic appointments across Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care System. Volunteers contact patients prior to appointments to provide reminders, discuss any barriers to attendance and offer support where needed.
The model has been implemented across Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH), Queen Elizabeth Hospital King's Lynn (QEH) and James Paget University Hospital (JPUH). Since implementation, the service has supported approximately 35,811 patients across the three sites.
Evaluation findings suggest the programme has contributed to reductions in missed appointments (DNAs), improved use of appointment capacity and communication with patients, while demonstrating the potential for volunteer-led initiatives to support wider operational pressures across healthcare settings.
