Issued by SaTH and Helpforce
March 26 2026
A mum of three who receives life-preserving kidney dialysis three times a week is among hundreds of hospital patients benefitting from an innovative volunteer driver scheme in Shropshire.
The programme, designed by The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH) and national charity Helpforce, has been shown to improve care while relieving pressure on stretched NHS services.
Over a six-month period, the Volunteer Discharge Driver Service saw 17 kind-hearted volunteers complete more than 660 journeys across the county, providing support to patients who qualify for non-emergency hospital transport and those unable to get home independently.
Volunteers also deliver medications, equipment and discharge letters, as well as offering a ‘settling in’ service to ensure patients’ basic needs are met at home. Most recently, the initiative was extended to provide outpatient support.
An evaluation, conducted by Helpforce, found that 98% of patients supported by the scheme were collected within 30 minutes post-discharge – significantly improving the safe flow of patients through Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and Telford’s Princess Royal Hospital.
And data indicated that over the six months, the service could have cost the Trust over £86,000 if hospital transport and taxis had been used instead of volunteers.
One woman whose life has been transformed by the service is 51-year-old Niccola Bardi, from Newport, who receives kidney dialysis thrice weekly to combat a genetic condition known as polycystic kidney disease.
Diagnosed at the age of 18, Niccola’s health plummeted in 2020 when her kidney function deteriorated. Since then, she has had numerous operations, several emergency admissions to intensive care, and a variety of tubes inserted into her body to allow her to receive regular dialysis.
The dialysis involves removing all the blood from her body, cleaning it of toxins, and then replacing it. For Niccola, pictured, this process takes around four hours and leaves her feeling exhausted and drained.
“I have been on a three-times-a-week dialysis schedule since 2022,” she explained. “Initially I was taken to and from hospital by ambulance. I was incredibly grateful for this service, but because ambulances are in high demand I could sometimes be waiting for hours to be picked up at either end of the journey.
“Even when your transport is on time you have to get up at 5am to be picked up at 6am, followed by a long journey, inevitable waits at the hospital, an exhausting four-hour dialysis and then the home journey. Any delay to transport just adds to the anxiety and exhaustion.
“That is why I’m so grateful for the volunteer drivers who take me to and from hospital now. It’s not the same person every day but I know all of them and it is such a relief to have a friendly face waiting for you at exactly the right time.
“Constant dialysis is tough. It impacts every aspect of your life. Knowing you will get home in safety, surrounded by care and kindness, is such a wonderful thing. I look forward to the chats and laughs I have with the drivers, and it stops me stressing about my treatment. The service has been life-changing.”
Helpforce’s evaluation of the service found that over 90% of patients felt that it had helped them to feel less anxious about returning home from hospital.
The charity, which exists to advance the impact of volunteering across healthcare, is now championing the scheme nationally, working with leaders of other NHS trusts who are keen to replicate SaTH’s success.
Maeve Hully, Director of Volunteering at Helpforce, said: “With our support, SaTH has recruited and trained an outstanding team of volunteer drivers of all ages and from all walks of life, each highly motivated to ‘give back’ to the NHS and enhance the experiences of patients.
“For many people, being discharged from hospital can be an anxious time, especially those who don’t have friends or family members available to give them a lift back home.
“Not only do SaTH’s volunteer drivers ensure that discharged hospital patients get safely returned to their homes, they go ‘above and beyond’ by helping vulnerable individuals to settle in – ensuring they have basic provisions in their kitchen fridges and cupboards.”
One of the scheme’s volunteers is former police officer Claire Ashton, from Shrewsbury, who ran a specialist taxi service for people with special needs prior to retiring.
“Making sure people get home safely and that the heating, lights and water are working gives me a real sense of personal satisfaction,” explained Claire, 74. I have to know that the patient I’m supporting will be OK once I leave.
“I find that volunteering is a two-way street – you give, but you also get so much back. Talking to people from all backgrounds, including those whose first language isn’t English, has definitely helped me learn new skills.”
Users of the service include patients who don’t have family members who can pick them up, individuals whose homes are not served by direct public transport links, and those who would struggle to pay for a private taxi.
Julia Clarke, who leads the service as Director of Public Participation at SaTH, welcomed Helpforce’s evaluation findings: “Our Volunteer Discharge Drivers are doing incredible work to support patients and improve their hospital experience. By enabling attendance at outpatient appointments and timely discharge from hospital wards, they are ensuring that individuals return to the familiarity and comfort of their own homes sooner.
“We are incredibly fortunate to have an outstanding team of volunteers who have worked incredibly hard to help establish the scheme and ensure that it delivers for patients and hospital staff.
“When we talk about passionate volunteers at the Trust, we very often point out how they routinely ‘go the extra mile’. In terms of this new service that is quite literally the case!”
As well as helping to safely improve the flow of patients through the two hospitals, a significant benefit of the Volunteer Discharge Driver Service is that pressure on the hospital’s core patient transport provision is alleviated, ensuring that it is more readily available to patients with complex needs.
For more information about volunteering opportunities at SaTH click here.