Following a delay in returning to Volunteering at UHNM due to the high level of C-19 infections, towards the end of April I was invited to a meeting at ‘County Hospital’ to reconnect with the ‘SPaRC Team’ (Spiritual, Pastoral and Religious Care) to discuss the possibilities around returning to my role there.

It was a very good meeting with lots of current information being presented (along with the cake and coffee). Once again we were required to complete an updated ‘Risk Assessment’. However, being male and over 70 automatically placed me in the ‘Moderate Risk’ Category and therefore I was referred on to ‘Team Prevent Occupational Health’. Following an online consultation at the beginning of May I was declared fit and safe to return. Life is starting to get back to normal. HALLELUJAH!

I will not be visiting any Covid patients of which there are now very few; other members of the team are cleared for these visits. I am now keen to take up this work again and hope to start by the end of May by which time my 2nd jab will have done its stuff, but only in a safe and sensible way

I am already ‘Self Testing’ twice weekly, reporting the results to ‘NHS Track and Trace’, and will increase this frequency if needs be.

Dave Rowlands