Radio Harrow is proud to introduce a new show to its programming schedule, ‘The Patients’ Hour’. The new show will be replacing the ‘Request Shows’ that currently take place every day.
The ‘Request Shows’ were a legacy of Radio Northwick Park’s patient visiting service, where volunteers would visit patients in Northwick Park Hospital and collect their song requests. However, with the removal of bedside units in the hospital, patients were less able to tune in to hear their requests. ‘The Patients’ Hour’ is a new show which aims to continue the legacy of the charity’s befriending service in new and more interactive ways.
Trustee, Claire Knight has been working to develop Radio Harrow’s befriending service and re-train volunteers to improve their interactions with patients. She said “our new befriending training gives our volunteers the skills and the confidence they need to approach patients at their bedside and try to strike up a conversation. It is our aim to visit all patients in Northwick Park Hospital over the course of a week and give them our time and attention to talk about whatever they want including their hobbies, what music they like listening to or even providing them with information about what services are available in the hospital”.
Having been introducing the new befriending training gradually over a few weeks, Claire said “the results are already noticeable, volunteers are coming back from the wards with fascinating stories from all the interesting and wonderful people they have met. We now hope to share these stories with the patients and staff of Northwick Park Hospital and the wider community on ‘The Patients’ Hour’”.
‘The Patients’ Hour’ will be a show full of stories and music as chosen by the patients in Northwick Park Hospital. Complete with health tips, the show will also feature local interviews and information about what’s going on in the area and help listeners to feel more connected to their community.
Tune in weekdays from 9pm, Saturday mornings at 11am and Sundays at 7pm.