Published on: 13 August 2025
Friendly faces who will welcome patients through the doors of the region’s new eye hospital are being recruited ready for its opening.
Sunderland’s New Eye hospital will welcome patients next summer. It will launch when services move from Sunderland Eye Infirmary in Queen Alexandra Road.
The new location will continue the city’s long legacy of eye care which stretches back almost 200 years. With the existing site no longer fit for purpose, it will be built for the cutting-edge technology and equipment the teams now use to care for patients from across the region and beyond.
A recruitment campaign is now under way to find helpers. They will be on hand to help show patients and their friends and family to the right location in the new hospital.
To make sure the team is in place in good time, South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust (STSFT) is asking anyone interested to get in touch to find out more.
Following checks, volunteers will be given training to bring them up to speed on all things eye hospital. Like all helpers across STSFT they will get their own blue top to wear, be offered free parking during their volunteer shift and invited to celebrations hosted by the Trust during the year.
They can also apply for a Blue Light card, which offers discounts and perks.
Among existing volunteers who already help at Sunderland Eye Infirmary is Anne Render.
Volunteer Anne Render is a Navigator at Sunderland Eye Infirmary.
She started as a Navigator two and a half years ago. She previously worked for the Trust in HR as an Assistant Training Manager at Sunderland Royal Hospital’s Education Centre and wanted to return to help her former colleagues.
Her sights were set on supporting Sunderland Eye Infirmary, where she felt she could make a difference.
She gives two hours of her time a week, fitting it in around her hobbies and past times which include walking, Pilates and gardening. She also loves travelling and is learning Spanish.
Anne said:
"I always wanted to help here at the Eye Infirmary because I knew the demographic of the patients and felt there would be a lot of people who needed extra support.
"My aim is to give them a good experience.
"I stand next to the main door to welcome people and make sure they see a friendly face.
"I check they know where they need to go for their appointment, and if not, I show them the way, or take them there if necessary, especially if they are on their own.
"I also help with blue badge registration, phone and look out for taxis, assist with the parking machines or just have a chat if people are waiting for a lift or patient transport."
Volunteering gives Anne a chance to support her community and hopes others will step up to join the team.
Anne, who trained as a Home Economics teacher and also managed her own hospitality businesses, said:
"I just love the interaction with people.
"It’s a very happy place to be and it’s nice to talk to people, help them and make their day a little bit better.
"People are genuinely grateful. This is a really nice job to do, it’s a good feeling to help others. It helps me keep fit and moving, from the moment I arrive to the time I finish, I don’t stop, so the time goes so quickly.
"I know people will be nervous about going to the new hospital because it will be different, but the facilities will be amazing.
"A Navigator needs to be a people person, someone who is pro-active, happy to approach a patient for a chat. and have a good ear to work out what help is needed."
Anne’s top tips to be a good navigator are:
- Be approachable and friendly
- Be on the look out for those who need help
- Make sure you wear a good pair of trainers
- Know your facts – info about transport, parking and where things are will be helpful and will be provided in training
Set over four floors on the former Vaux Brewery site in the city centre, the new Eye Hospital will have two lifts to help people get around. Visitors will enter into a central lobby, where a welcome desk will be set up.
There will be patient parking on site, with more spaces available nearby at St Mary’s and the Riverside Multi-Storey Car Parks. Public transport links are also within a short walk.
To find out more about volunteering at the new eye hospital, visit this page on the Trust’s website: Volunteer at Sunderland’s new eye hospital
Details about the new build, which is being constructed by Kier and is being developed in partnership with Sunderland City Council, can be found via this section: New Eye Hospital
STS Charity is spearheading the Vision Appeal, which is raising funds to boost the patient experience, offer addition kit above and beyond the standard NHS equipment and future-proof eye care for generations to come.
To find out more visit: Vision Appeal
