NIAS volunteers drive cancer and kidney dialysis patients

Kindness, compassion and a free car ride goes a long way when you’re undergoing hospital treatment for health issues, such as terminal cancer or kidney dialysis.

Often patients rely on the goodwill of strangers, many of whom become friends.

The volunteer drivers for the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) are among the lesser known roles that keep the health service ticking along – and they do it all for free.

“It is vital to the running of NIAS,” said Yvonne McMichael from NIAS.

“They go above and beyond on the daily.”

More than 75 people, from across Northern Ireland, give up their time – and cars – as part of NIAS’s Voluntary Car Service.

Among them is Willie Hutchinson whose three children have all had kidney transplants.

Before their transplants, they underwent dialysis – a procedure which removes waste products and excess fluid from the blood when the kidneys stop working.

“They used the car service quite a lot to get to the renal units,” the former lorry driver told BBC News NI.

For him, volunteering is his way of “pay back”.

“Somebody did it for them so I’m doing it for somebody else,” he said.

In 2023, the grandfather of six was awarded a British Empire Medal (BEM) for services to healthcare.

Mr Hutchinson’s nominator was a patient he brought to and from hospital appointments for a number of years.

“The day that I got the award, I had brought him home – he wasn’t well – and I took him into the house and he more or less fell into the chair,” he said.

“I told his wife to ring for the doctor.

“He died that afternoon so he never found out that I’d got the award after all the work he had done to put me forward for it.

“It was a bit sad and bittersweet that he didn’t know I’d got it but his family were thrilled to bits for me.”

The volunteer drivers are not employed, or paid, by NIAS, and only receive a mileage allowance for transporting patients – in their own cars – to and from hospital appointments.

The voluntary service saves NIAS money as it is significantly cheaper – and uses fewer resources – than taxis or ambulances.

Tommy Nicholl, a former mayor of Mid and East Antrim, has been on dialysis for almost seven years and relies on the service.

“I can tell you from experience that volunteer drivers are not just transport but they’re part of the caring system,” he said.

“These volunteer drivers give of their time freely. It’s not just a lift to them, they have compassion, they bring calmness at a time when a patient like me needs that.”

With ambulances in high demand and staff and resources stretched, Yvonne McMichael, who oversees the volunteer car service, says the work the volunteers do is “top tier”.

“With the capacity levels that we have at the minute, we do not have enough ambulances to provide the service to everyone who needs to get,” she said.

“They cover Northern Ireland, providing service to seven renal units and also transferring patients to the two cancer centres at Belfast City Hospital and Altnagelvin, as well as taking patients to other appointments.”

Before becoming a volunteer driver, Martin Garrity had worked in an office for 35 years.

“I wanted a wee change,” he said.

“I was chatting to a friend of mine who was doing voluntary driving at the time and he suggested to me I try it and 15 years on, I’m still here.”

For him, the best thing about it is the people he has met.

“When you have your patients maybe three times a week, you build up a friendship with them and their families and they’re so appreciative,” he said.

“You get close to them and they confide in you about certain things. Sometimes there’s bad news and it’s sad, it’s tough.”

So will he still be volunteering in another 15 years?

“I hope so,” he said.

“The reward you get is worth it and I’d say the other drivers would say the same.”