If you would like to involve volunteers within your team or service, you can start the request process by completing this form.
Are volunteer roles patient-facing?
Yes, most of our hospital-based volunteer roles are patient-facing. Volunteers improve the patient experience by helping with tasks such as delivering meals, taking part in games and other activities, providing directions or simply making conversation with patients during their time in hospital.
I haven’t had volunteers in my team before. What sort of tasks can they do to help?
While volunteers can help with many different tasks, their roles must be different to those of our staff. Volunteers should add value to what we can achieve and be focused on improving the hospital experience for our patients. Volunteers can help with tasks such as delivering meals to patients, playing games with patients, supporting friends and family tests and offering directions. However, they should not be asked to assist with clinical procedures or moving patients around the hospital. The roles that volunteers perform cannot be essential to the operation of a department as volunteers are under no obligation to come in for shifts – although the charity has a ‘good faith’ volunteer agreement in place. Essential roles and tasks should be carried out by members of staff.
