27 November 2020

CNWL’s Check in & Chat service, initially launched in May 2020, is returning,  making an offering to carers across the Trust who are experiencing loneliness and isolation.

During the first lockdown this year, Check in & Chat’s volunteers spoke regularly with 131 individuals who were referred in from across CNWL’s services. The service paused in late summer, and is now back to provide support again as we have entered a second lockdown.

Check in & Chat will offer eight calls over eight weeks by volunteer Chatters for unpaid (friend or family) carers of CNWL service users.

Check in & Chat will be using a team of trained volunteers to telephone individuals for up to one hour per week for eight weeks to reduce the health-harming impacts of loneliness and isolation, provide informal support and encourage networking with community resources.

Volunteer ‘Chatters’ will confirm who they are and why they are calling, and carers of CNWL Service Users can be referred in for Check in & Chat calls by any CNWL service who will continue to deliver services with the person they care for for the next eight weeks/the duration of the Check in & Chat calls.

Unfortunately, the service cannot accept referrals who will be closed imminently by the referring team or any self-referrals.

Chatters will signpost to services or support within the local community and where relevant raise any concerns with the referring service.

If you think the unpaid carer of someone you provide care for may benefit from accessing Check in & Chat, please complete this referral form and send to cnwl.check-inandchat@nhs.net

We are looking for staff to become Check in & Chat Volunteer Supervisors. We need Supervisors who can:

  • commit to five to seven hours a week between Monday and Friday 9am-5pm
  •  attend two referrals meetings
  • supervise a maximum of threee Volunteer Chatters on a fortnightly basis.

You may also occasionally need to have flexibility to take a call in between supervision for Chatters in the unlikely instance of them having concerns for someone they are calling.

To apply to become a Check in & Chat Supervisor, please submit an expression of interest and send to cnwl.check-inandchat@nhs.net

If someone you know would like to volunteer with Check in & Chat as a Chatter, and can spare a minimum of four hours per week between 9am and 5pm to dedicate to us, please contact cnwl.volunteer@nhs.net  for more information or apply here. ​​​​​​​

CNWL’s Chief Nurse Maria O’Brien said: “A check in and chat call can make all the difference to someone who is lonely at this time and is a positive step to engage with someone who may have little or no contact with others.

“We are concerned that a consequence of self-isolating may lead to issues with confidence, self-esteem, and loneliness so through this service we hope to identify any practical support a person may require.”