Listening Service
The DAS Listening Service was first introduced at the beginning of the pandemic lockdown in March 2020. Our normal face to face and home visiting services had to be suspended but we wanted to give our clients reassurance that we were still there for them at the end of the phone to help if they needed it. So we set up an outbound calling unit to get in touch with as many as possible who were active cases from the past.
We received very appreciative feedback from those we spoke to with quite a few commenting that we were the first agency to reach out to them. It struck us that this was a great way of keeping in touch with clients on our database so we can ascertain if they need our help again and, just as importantly, make them feel that someone out there cares. So we decided to keep it going and it is largely run today by our marvellous volunteers.
“I haven’t been able to see anybody. I keep ringing, and the doctor says to me, ‘well I haven’t had the letter from the hospital, so I don’t know what I can give you’. And then I tried to ring the […]arrhythmia nurses, can’t get through to them. I sent a text and they’ve sent one back saying ‘we’ll authorise for you to have a telephone consultation’ […] That was Monday this week and I still haven’t had it. They’ve not contacted me again since […] I’m just waiting for them to contact me.“ Shawn (early 60s), July 2020
Quotes from our clients:
“I always feel better when I think about you lot and that you’ll help me through whatever I need no matter how complicated.”
“Thank you so much, I could never do all this on my own.”
“Very moved that you even thought about us in this time, when you must be so busy.”
“If you hadn’t called me I don’t know what I would’ve done.”
“I didn’t honestly think you’d be open through Coronavirus.”
“You people are wonderful, you always have all the answers.”
“You are the first organisation to enquire after my welfare during this crisis.”
“Thank you, I am rubbish at asking for help so I do really appreciate you contacting me.”
“I’m so so glad we came to you for help with R’s PIP.”
“I really appreciate you thinking of us.”
“Thank you for checking in, much appreciated. You guys are always brilliant for me.”
“I am quite isolated a lot of the time. Thank you so much for thinking of me, it really means a lot.”