Meet Andy: “No one day is the same, there’s always something different going on”

Meet Andy, one of our Enhanced Support Officers! 

Being an Enhanced Support Officer involves making sure that everyone from patients and families to colleagues in Sheffield Children’s are safe. You might have seen Andy or his colleagues in either Outpatients, the Emergency Department, or doing checks throughout and around the outside of the hospital. Andy said: “I want to do everything I can to make sure everyone is and feels safe while visiting the hospital, visiting hospital can be a stressful experience and I want to make it as easy and comfortable as possible.” 

Prior to joining Sheffield Children’s in January 2022 Andy worked in other support roles, in retail and event crowd support. The experience, and skills he learnt transferred perfectly into the Enhanced Support Officer role. 

Andy adds: “What I love about working as an Enhanced Support Officer is that no one day is the same, there’s always something different going on and you’re also meeting so many great people, whether that be colleagues, patients or their families. 

“I get to support the whole journey of a patient and when I hear stories of what a difference my role makes to the care of a patient as well as seeing patients get better over time, it makes it feel so worthwhile.” 

Andy not only carries out the role of keeping everyone safe, he’s also been spending time with the portering team. He said: “Alongside my usual role, I am also shadowing porters around the hospital. This involves me following one of my portering colleagues, seeing the tasks that they complete, such as transferring patients to different areas, making deliveries of clean laundry, medicines from the pharmacy etc. 

“I’m hoping that if a portering opportunity arises, having gained experience with the team it might open another door for me to progress. Your hard work never goes unnoticed.”