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Original poster

Does anyone know how I would start this business?

33 replies

EssAyyBee · 07/12/2023 21:32

After my mum having a really long stay in hospital.

I would love to start a business of going into the wards and giving the ladies a wash and blowdry. Without me, my mum wouldnt have washed her hair in 26 days. I became friendly with the ladies on her ward and also did their hair.

Is this a viable business? They all said they would happily pay but I would prefer it to be voluntary contribution, I wouldnt expect payment.

How would I even go about starting this up?

OP posts:
Original poster
EssAyyBee · 07/12/2023 21:33

I suppose it would come under volunteering? Even that, I have no idea who to contact and what to say!

OP posts:
HappySpade · 07/12/2023 21:39

I'm in Canada now and when I was working at a health authority, this type of work was tendered out as a contracted service through the health authority.

Original poster
EssAyyBee · 07/12/2023 21:41

I'm in London. Towards the end of her stay I would go rpund to all the ladies everyday, tidy up their tables and just have a chat. I found it so fulfilling and I am fortunate enough to have school hours free and would love to help people who dont have frequent visitors. Wash and blow dry or just a friendly chatn

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Beauty
PickleSmith · 07/12/2023 21:49

I would start small with paying for an enhanced DBS check so that you have that to hand.

I'd then contact as many hospitals / hospices / care homes / whatever o felt drawn to as I could, listing the services I'd like to offer and asking if they'd be interested

NorthernSpirit · 07/12/2023 21:51

This is an excellent idea.

Are you a trained hairdresser?

You would need (IMO) some formal training and then public liability insurance.

My MIL has recently spent time in hospital and is now in a nursing home. And it’s been extremely difficult trying to get someone to do her hair.

Precious to hospital stays / care home - age would visit a hair dresser once a week.

We couldn’t find anyone who would go in & cut, colour or style her hair.

It’s a great idea. I don’t know about the route into hospitals, but nursing homes with be much easier.

Good luck.

FusionChefGeoff · 07/12/2023 21:52

My local hospital has a 'friends of' charity / volunteer group so I'd say look around local hospitals who have something similar and then email them with your idea. They'd bite your hand off I would have thought.

What area are you in?

Original poster
EssAyyBee · 07/12/2023 21:52

PickleSmith · 07/12/2023 21:49

I would start small with paying for an enhanced DBS check so that you have that to hand.

I'd then contact as many hospitals / hospices / care homes / whatever o felt drawn to as I could, listing the services I'd like to offer and asking if they'd be interested

Who do I even contact though? Like which department? I have a DBS from a previous job 2 years ago if thats any good?

OP posts:
Original poster
EssAyyBee · 07/12/2023 21:55

FusionChefGeoff · 07/12/2023 21:52

My local hospital has a 'friends of' charity / volunteer group so I'd say look around local hospitals who have something similar and then email them with your idea. They'd bite your hand off I would have thought.

What area are you in?

South east london. I am close to the hospital my mum was in so it would work really well after school drop off and before pick up.

One local hospital used to have a hospital salon in the entrance for long term patients and they'd get a wash and blow dry for a tiny contribution i believe.

Id just love to spend my free time either washing and blowdrying, handing out dinners or having a chat. My mum was opposite a lady for nearly a month and she had no visitors. She would light up when me or my brother walked in 🥲 im not trained with certificates but Ive always been the blowdryer of the friend group!

OP posts:
Original poster
EssAyyBee · 07/12/2023 21:59

NorthernSpirit · 07/12/2023 21:51

This is an excellent idea.

Are you a trained hairdresser?

You would need (IMO) some formal training and then public liability insurance.

My MIL has recently spent time in hospital and is now in a nursing home. And it’s been extremely difficult trying to get someone to do her hair.

Precious to hospital stays / care home - age would visit a hair dresser once a week.

We couldn’t find anyone who would go in & cut, colour or style her hair.

It’s a great idea. I don’t know about the route into hospitals, but nursing homes with be much easier.

Good luck.

Ill look into nursing homes too, thank you.

There were days my mum (54) would ask for help getting up or reaching her hairbrush/pyjamas and when id go to visit, they still hadnt gotten round to her yetx let alone walk to toilet of have a shower with a catheter, zimmer, carrying towels - whilst on oxygen, which i understand, the nurses are so so stretched but just a little face to pop on the wards to do the odd jobs that dont need medically trained people, id really love to do.

OP posts:
thesandwich · 07/12/2023 22:02

Most hospitals have a league of friends/ volunteer coordinator type role- check on their website, ask at main reception.

Original poster
EssAyyBee · 07/12/2023 22:03

thesandwich · 07/12/2023 22:02

Most hospitals have a league of friends/ volunteer coordinator type role- check on their website, ask at main reception.

Thanks so much. I am visiting tomorrow so I will ask at reception, thank you x

OP posts:
RobertJohnsonsShoes · 07/12/2023 22:04

Such a lovely and well needed service. I also think you'd need to go through tender, even if the service was voluntary

Original poster
EssAyyBee · 07/12/2023 22:08

RobertJohnsonsShoes · 07/12/2023 22:04

Such a lovely and well needed service. I also think you'd need to go through tender, even if the service was voluntary

It really is well needed. After intensive care my mum was on a ward of 4 and as soon as Id walk in they'd all say 'oh i dont want to be a pain but could you just move my table, cover me with a blanket / fill up my cup. They dont want to disturb the nurses for non urgent things. Really sad tbh.

OP posts:
MrsKwazi · 07/12/2023 22:08

You won’t believe it but when I did nursing training in the early 90’s we were actually taught to wash a patient’s hair in bed and this was expected as part of basic hygiene. You used a plastic contraption that drained water into a bucket next to the bed. How times have changed :(
great idea OP i hope you can make it work

Original poster
EssAyyBee · 07/12/2023 22:09

MrsKwazi · 07/12/2023 22:08

You won’t believe it but when I did nursing training in the early 90’s we were actually taught to wash a patient’s hair in bed and this was expected as part of basic hygiene. You used a plastic contraption that drained water into a bucket next to the bed. How times have changed :(
great idea OP i hope you can make it work

My mum is a every other day kinda gal with hair washing and once she was a bit more with it, it was the first thing we did. The other ladies on the ward had some dry shampoo that a HCA would put in. It just isnt a priority atm and it makes such a difference to how they feel.

OP posts:
Original poster
EssAyyBee · 07/12/2023 22:11

I used a comode pan and had my mum lean forward and a second pan with clean water to rinse. Once she was a bit more mobile i could take her to the shower chair and do it for her. Thank god for daughters she said!

Does anyone know how I would start this business?
OP posts:
Original poster
EssAyyBee · 07/12/2023 22:12

Sorry, accidentally attached a screen shot of a PP's advice to check the website for ward volunteers.

OP posts:
MrsKwazi · 07/12/2023 22:17

Found it!

this contraption worked very well, it’s what we used and every ward had one in the sluice room
https://www.bettermobility.co.uk/catalog/product.php?CI_ID=2419

you need a kick bucket on the floor underneath it.

hair wash came before changing sheets so any small spills was ok.

but after a quick google it looks like there are lots of new versions of the same available

Better Mobility

Hair Washing Tray for Bed Use

https://www.bettermobility.co.uk/catalog/product.php?CI_ID=2419

Rummikub · 07/12/2023 22:24

Google the hospital name with volunteer office.

All the hospitals round here have one.

I think it’s a great idea. You might need an enhanced DBS but the volunteer office should be able to tell you.

Sunflower8848 · 07/12/2023 22:27

Why don’t you train as a nurse? You sound like you would be fantastic

Original poster
EssAyyBee · 07/12/2023 22:40

Sunflower8848 · 07/12/2023 22:27

Why don’t you train as a nurse? You sound like you would be fantastic

Im 100% not smart enough! But I do have common sense and a great bedside manner. I also have an autoimmune illness which can flare up so I need something which I can pick up and drop, but thank you 🤍

OP posts:
Eastbourneultimatum · 07/12/2023 22:41

OP this thread has made my night and restored my faith in humanity - thank you. I hope you manage to get it off the ground, you sound amazing. ❤️

Rummikub · 07/12/2023 22:44

When I had cancer I was referred to an organisation where you could have things like reflexology. You could look at training in that. You can do evening courses in this. Would something like that appeal? Or is it the hospital environment that you like?

You could also offer this to care homes? Easier to set this up then I think.

Original poster
EssAyyBee · 07/12/2023 22:45

MrsKwazi · 07/12/2023 22:17

Found it!

this contraption worked very well, it’s what we used and every ward had one in the sluice room
https://www.bettermobility.co.uk/catalog/product.php?CI_ID=2419

you need a kick bucket on the floor underneath it.

hair wash came before changing sheets so any small spills was ok.

but after a quick google it looks like there are lots of new versions of the same available

They def arent around now.. better than comode pans! The best they have is someone who will spray your own dry shampoo on you 😞 all the lady's hair are so dirty. When she was moved to a ward, and not critial care anymore, I asked if she could be washed. In the end i just took some flannels from home and did it for her myself. I completely get they are stretched but she wasnt washed for 11days and without me wouldve been alot longer. Her morale raised so much just from being wiped down.

OP posts:
Original poster
EssAyyBee · 07/12/2023 22:48

Eastbourneultimatum · 07/12/2023 22:41

OP this thread has made my night and restored my faith in humanity - thank you. I hope you manage to get it off the ground, you sound amazing. ❤️

Honestly, it sounds silly. But i couldnt wait to go there everyday with cotton buds and babywipes and magazines for the people with no visitors and it hasnt left my mind since, and to relieve the nurses of non clinical things could maybe improve their shifts.

OP posts: