Peer support for Amputees in partnership with the Limbless Association
From our research, we found that most patients who have had an amputation, said they would have liked to have spoken to another amputee before their surgery. Many did not have that opportunity but felt it would have been really useful for them. Similarly, lots of healthcare professionals told us they wished they could find existing amputees to talk with their patients to give them that important perspective.
For many people, they might not have seen or met an amputee before they become one themselves. Having an amputation can create a range of feelings for patients and speaking to someone else who understands those emotions can be very helpful for people. People also want practical advice and to know what life might be like in the future, so talking to someone who has been through that experience already can be a good way to get that insight. We wanted to develop a way to help more amputees get the support from other amputees they wanted.
The Limbless Association has partnered with us for this. They already run a successful peer support scheme- where existing amputees support those who are about to have or who have recently had, amputations. The Volunteer Visitor programme from the Limbless Association has an extensive training programme for their volunteers and allows patients, their families or healthcare professionals to request a visit. There are volunteers all over the country and the visits take place over the telephone or online, and they can talk about feelings or answer questions, it is up to the person having the visit what they want to discuss with the volunteer.
More information about the scheme is available here: General information about the volunteer visitors scheme: https://limbless-association.org/volunteer-visitors/
How to request a visit from a volunteer
Patient: If you are a patient who is about to have, or has recently had an amputation, you can request a volunteer visit yourself. You can do this by completing this form online: https://limbless-association.pmclient.co.uk/forms/service-user/request or you can phone 0800 644 0185 (Monday – Friday, 9am – 5pm) or email support@limbless-association.org and ask about a volunteer visit.
Friends and Family: If you are the friends or family of someone who is having/ has had an amputation and would like to talk to a volunteer visitor you can also use this scheme. Sometimes family and friends want support and advice so that they know how they can help and support their loved one during and after their amputation. You can request a visit through this link for Friends and family visit form: https://limbless-association.pmclient.co.uk/forms/service-user-referrer?type=relation or by calling 0800 644 0185 (Monday – Friday, 9am – 5pm) or emailing support@limbless-association.org
Healthcare professionals: If you a healthcare professional you can make a referral for a patient in your care to have a visit from an existing amputee. You can complete this form to make the request: https://limbless-association.org/vv-for-professionals/ the consent of the patient for you to make the referral will be required.