Volunteering Opportunities

There are a small number of admin and clerical roles in some departments. Volunteers undertake light administrative duties to help staff in specific areas.

Admin and Clerical – Volunteer Role Description

This is an example of the agreed duties for this role -

• Photocopying and filing
• Helping with mail shots, i.e. stuffing and labelling envelopes
• Updating information leaflets etc
• Data inputting on to departmental systems following training and if appropriate
• Running errands to other departments

Volunteers support, encourage and provide refreshments for patients attending the Cardiac Rehab Group which provides follow-up support for patients following treatment for a heart condition.

Cardiac Rehab – Volunteer Role Description

This is an example of the agreed duties for this role -

•  Prepare the room
•  Preparing and serving drinks as necessary
•  Clearing away equipment at the end of the session
•  Welcoming and escorting patients in the department to other areas of the hospital if required

Volunteers assist our Chaplaincy team with the pastoral, religious and spiritual care of our patients by undertaking a wide variety of roles within the Department.

Chaplaincy and Pastoral Care – Volunteer Role Description

This is an example of the agreed duties for this role -

•  Visit patients on the wards
•  Administering Holy Communion and assisting at the Sunday Holy Eucharist
•  Compiling Chapel lists of patients wishing to attend Services or receive Bed-side Communion
•  Pushing patients in wheelchairs to Services
•  Assisting Departmental Staff as required
•  Providing admin and clerical support to the department – ref Admin/Clerical Role description
•  Helping to maintain the Chapel Garden
•  Playing the organ
•  Participating in a Ministry of Welcome in the Chapel

Volunteers assist the Hospital Play Specialist, nursing staff and the schoolteacher with varied tasks to support the smooth running of the ward. ;Volunteers also help in the Children’s Outpatient Clinic with children waiting in Clinic and in maintaining the toys and equipment.

 Children’s Ward – Volunteer Role Description

This is an example of the agreed duties for this role -

• Assisting the Hospital Play Specialist with play activities in the play area, or on a one-to-one basis
• Keeping play area, cupboards and bookshelves tidy as required to ensure safe play
• Sterilising equipment as required
• Checking and maintaining toys guided by the maintenance procedure
• Helping to set up/design displays and assisting in providing play materials
• Helping to make ;clean beds
• Running errands to Pathology, Pharmacy, Catering, General Office etc
• Loading the dishwasher
• Making up admissions packs and photocopying as required
• Accompanying patients and nursing staff at the discretion of the nurse in charge
• Meet and greet patients and their families at CAU entrance
• Filing of ward documents ;– following the appropriate training
• Answering the telephone when staff are not available
• Helping to complete menu cards

Helping at mealtimes – as required

• Assisting with giving out meals and providing encouragement at mealtimes
• Ensuring patients can access their meal and drink and offer assistance as required
• Cutting food into manageable pieces and assist patients to access drinks
• Collecting up meal trays

Schoolroom

• Helping the school teacher in the school room as required
• Assisting with the preparation of materials/games for lessons, photocopying and filing as required
• Working with an individual child/children under the teacher’s direction
• Helping with organising, preparing and maintaining displays

Volunteers give non-nursing assistance and support to staff and patients attending for day procedures.

 Day Surgery Unit – Volunteer Role Description

This is an example of the agreed duties for this role -

• Talking to spending time with patients
• Making tea/coffee for patients/relatives under the direction of staff
• Load/unloading dishwasher, tidying ward kitchen
• Running errands to main hospital e.g. Pharmacy, Pathology, Time Out Restaurant etc
• Assisting with unloading linen cages and putting linen away
• Helping staff with making empty beds
• Tidying patients’ tables and helping to maintain a tidy ward environment
• Photocopying/sending faxes/filing as required

Patient Friends (volunteer handholders) accompany patients into theatre for cataract removal under local anaesthetic. They sit with patients during the procedure which helps to relieve stress and anxiety.

 In addition volunteers support patients and staff in the Ward area and also in the Injection and Fluroscein Clinics

 Eye Treatment Centre – Volunteer Role Description (Handholder)

This is an example of the agreed duties for this role -

• Meet and greet patients in waiting area
• Accompanying patient and nurse into Theatre
• Providing support by speaking to and reassuring patients
• Holding patient’s hand during the procedure and relaying any signals of anxiety/tension to Theatre nurse
• Accompanying patient and nurse to waiting area following surgery

Ward/Clinics

This is an example of the agreed duties for this role -

• Meet and greet patients waiting in ward area
• Providing company for patients on their own and assist with gowning up patients as required
• Make and serve drinks for patients under direction of staff
• Load/unloading dishwasher and tidy kitchen
• Run errands to main hospital e.g. pharmacy etc
• Helping to maintain a tidy ward environment and restock supplies

Fluorescein Clinic

• Meet and greet patients waiting in clinic and provide company for waiting patients
• Make and serve drinks for patients under the direction of staff

Injection Clinic

• Meet and greet and provide company for patients in waiting area
• Accompany patient and nurse into treatment room if required
• Holding the patient’s hand if required during treatment and relay any signals of anxiety/tension to the nurse
• Accompany patient and nurse to waiting area following treatment if requiredMaking tea for patients under the direction of staff and accompany patients downstairs to reception area

Volunteers kindly assist with flower arranging for Sunday services and for special occasions.

 Chapel Flowers – Volunteer Role Description

This is an example of the agreed duties for this role -

• Creating a large flower arrangement using pedestal, a small flower arrangement beside the Remembrance Book and a small vase of flowers in the Multi Faith Room.

Volunteers undertake light gardening duties to help maintain our beautiful hospital courtyards which are a real asset to the hospital environment.

Courtyard Gardening – Volunteer Role Description

This is an example of the agreed duties for this role -

• Using gardening equipment supplied weed, tidy and trim and water in the courtyard gardens.

Behind the scenes but an important role for volunteers in Health Records is to tidy and reconstruct patients’ files – a job much appreciated by Health Records staff.

Health Records – Volunteer Role Description

This is an example of the agreed duties for this role -

• Reconstructing files – ie to identify case note folders that are torn and in a poor state of repair and if possible make repairs or set up a new folder as required

Volunteers also help Health Records and Medical Secretarial staff by taking requested Case notes to the relevant department.

 Health Records Trolley Service – Volunteer Role Description

This is an example of the agreed duties for this role -

• Taking sorted patient case notes by trolley to identified members of staff and to Eye Treatment Centre as required
• Providing general assistance to departmental staff as required

Macmillan Unit provides various volunteering opportunities within our Oncology Department – both on the ward and also within the Macmillan Information Centre. ;

 Macmillan Ward/Day Unit – Volunteer Role Description

This is an example of the agreed duties for this role -

Helping at mealtimes

•  Clear and wipe over-bed tables and offer patients opportunity to wash/wipe hands
•  Assist with giving out meals
•  Ensure patient can access their meal and drink, open any packaging, cut food and position on plate as required to help the patient
•  Provide encouragement at mealtimes
•  Collecting up meal trays

Patient services

•  Spend time talking to patients
•  Assist housekeepers with serving refreshments
•  Help patients complete and collect menu cards
•  Assist with giving out/collecting water jugs
•  Engage in activities to occupy patients as appropriate – looking through magazines/crosswords/board games etc
•  Run errands to hospital shop for patients

Patient surveys/information

•  Encourage and assist patients to complete patient satisfaction surveys as required
•  Promote Suffolk Family Carers – by helping to identify patients who are carers
•  Top up information leaflets

General Assistance

•  Restocking supplies/linen and pads/bottles in toilets etc
•  Maintain and clean patient Bedside Folders (where available)
•  Give out/collect/wash and store washbowls as required
•  Washing and making empty beds
•  Clean stock supply of drip stands with surface wipes – must use gloves
•  Run errands to/from other wards/departments
•  Help maintain a tidy and uncluttered ward environment
•  Collating admission packs/photocopying and filing as required

Day Unit

•  Top up and tidy cupboards/trolleys etc
•  Order and collect lunches and offer drinks
•  Call patients through for treatment
•  Run errands to pathology etc.

Macmillan Information Centre – Volunteer Role Description

Volunteers welcome visitors to the Macmillan Information Centre and to help create a supportive environment for people affected by cancer.

 This is an example of the agreed duties for this role -

• Welcome visitors to the centre, put people at their ease and to provide refreshments as required
• Explain the resources and services which are available
• Assist visitors locate information, fact sheets, booklets, Internet resources etc as required
• Maintain and update the Resources Directory ensuring that comprehensive and accurate resources are held on the Information Centre database.
• Printing agreed literature from the Internet
• Photocopying resources as required. Please refer to the Centre Manager about what may or may not be photocopied because of copyright regulations.
• Maintaining and ordering a comprehensive range of leaflets, booklets and other resources in the Information Centre and to prepare resources for the Outreach Centres
• Lending a listening ear to visitors who may wish to talk about their feelings and the impact of cancer upon their lives. Please note: volunteers do not provide a counselling service.
• Referring complex enquiries to the Information Centre or an appropriate Clinical Nurse Specialist
• Undertake general administrative duties such as filing, post, answering telephone etc
• Help to a welcoming, informal but professional environment.

Volunteers welcome visitors to the ward and provide help and support to patients and staff on the Maternity Ward

Maternity Unit – Volunteer Role Description

This is an example of the agreed duties for this role -

• Welcome ward visitors to F11 and assist with monitoring security access to the ward
• Identify and record the patient they are visiting and direct visitors to the appropriate bay
• Escort mothers and their babies to Neonatal Unit (NNU)
• Talking to and providing company for new mothers
• Helping mothers to undress babies in readiness for the newborn check. NB this assistance may be given only whilst the baby is in the crib
• Provide assistance at mealtimes with giving out, clearing away meals and completing menu cards
• Tidying and changing the water in patients flowers
• Restocking patient leaflets
• Helping to maintain a tidy ward environment
• Provide assistance to the ward clerk with photocopying etc
• Run errands to other wards/departments
• Helping patients to complete Patient Satisfaction Surveys

To help improve the patients’ experience, Volunteers promote, encourage and assist patients on the wards and attending outpatient clinics to complete the Patient Satisfaction Surveys. 

 Outpatients Clinics – Volunteer Role Description

This is an example of the agreed duties for this role -

• Approach patients leaving the Department and explain the purpose of the survey and introduce the electronic survey tablet
• Record the number of patients who completed or declined the survey
• Clean the tablet with Microbacterial wipes between each use.
• Inform patients if they have any ideas or suggestions about how we could improve outpatients services, they should write brief details on the ‘Good Ideas’ form (copy in folder or on Reception desks)

Wards – Volunteer Role Description

This is an example of the agreed duties for this role -

• Report to Nursing Station on wards and ask staff for names of appropriate patients to approach
• Explain about the survey to patients and encourage them to complete it
• Volunteers may provide whatever assistance is necessary but must not of course answer the questions on behalf of the patient.
• Record the number of patients who completed or declined the survey.

Volunteers provide a Library Service for patients. A good selection of books is available together with magazines and audio books. Magazines are also provided in waiting areas.

Patients’ Library – Volunteer Role Description

This is an example of the agreed duties for this role -

Trolley Service

• Setting up trolley of books and take to wards
• Offer books, audio books and magazines to patients
• Record loans and return of books
• Volunteers will be encouraged to take the opportunity to talk to patients and encourage them to use the service

Library

• Prepare trolleys – guidelines produced
• Collect returned books and log
• Sort and identify donated books and prepare for loan
• Input data on computer (following training)
• Record loans for trolley round
• Input details of returned books

• File returned books

Volunteers help staff provide a welcoming environment for patients attending the Preadmission Unit and help with the smooth running of the Unit.

 Preadmission Unit – Volunteer Role Description

This is an example of the agreed duties for this role -

• Welcome patients into the Unit
• Accompany and escort patients to other wards/departments e.g. pathology, xray etc
• Run errands to other departments for staff e.g. pathology
• Provide company for waiting patients as necessary
• Check and maintain supplies of specimen bottles etc
• Assist the Receptionist/Ward Clerk if required, e.g. photocopying etc
• Help to maintain a tidy clinic environmentTo collect notes bags at end of each shift

An important task for ward volunteers is to spend time with patients, talking, listening, tidying, shopping and also to provide non-nursing help and support to staff by running errands, helping at mealtimes and carrying out routine non-nursing tasks.

Wards – Volunteer Role Description

This is an example of the agreed duties for this role -

Helping at mealtimes

• Clear and wipe over-bed tables in preparation for meal
• Assist with giving out meals
• Ensure patient can access their meal and drink, ie helping with packaging, cutting food into manageable pieces etc
• Provide encouragement at mealtimes
• Collecting up meal trays

General Assistance

• Spend time talking to patients
• Assist housekeepers with serving refreshments, giving out/refilling water jugs
• Help patients complete menu cards and collect for staff
• Tidy patients tables and lockers
• Engage in activities to occupy patients as appropriate – looking through magazines/crosswords/board games etc
• Restocking supplies/linen, in the toilets with pads/bottles, information racks with leaflets etc
• Maintain and clean patient Bedside Folders (where available)
• Give out/collect/wash and store washbowls as required
• Washing and making empty beds
• Clean stock supply of drip stands with surface wipes – must use gloves
• Clean and tidy lockers
• Tidy linen cupboards/trolleys
• Run errands to/from other wards/departments
• Help maintain a tidy and uncluttered ward environment
• Photocopying/Filing as required
• Collating admission packs
• Encourage and assist designated patients to complete patient satisfaction surveys

Coming into hospital can be very daunting and an important role for the volunteers who help on our Information Desks is to provide a friendly welcome and reassurance to patients and visitors requiring assistance.

Welcome and Information Service – Volunteer Role Description

This is an example of the agreed duties for this role -

• Providing and welcoming information and escorting service to patients and visitors
• Dealing sensitively with those people who may be tense or anxious
• Maintaining a tidy environment in reception area
• Escorting mobile outpatients to various areas of the hospital
• Ensuring that patients waiting for transport are comfortable by arranging for knee blankets, tea/coffee etc as appropriate
• Providing support to the Voluntary Services staff as required

Volunteers provide information, help and support for individual mothers in breast feeding techniques. All BFS volunteers are members of NCT, La Leche, Breast Feeding Network (BFN).

The Friends of West Suffolk Hospital fundraise on our behalf both within the hospital and the local community. In addition the Friends support our Chaplaincy Department by identifying those patients wishing to attend services they also help to take patients to Chapel on Sundays.

The Friends have a shop in our main reception and also provide a trolley service to the wards 3 afternoons a week. The profits from this project are donated back to our hospital to the benefit of our patients and staff.

Volunteers help with ‘housekeeping’ for the collection of pictures, eg checking condition of pictures and stock taking etc.

Tune in to a professional community radio service 103.3fm provided by RWSfm volunteers broadcasting to Bury St Edmunds and beyond from studios at West Suffolk Hospital.

Trained Red Cross volunteers provide Therapeutic Care for patients comprising hand care, hand and arm massage and neck and shoulder massage to some wards. 

Volunteers who have been smokers and have quit with the help of the service, support the advisors and give advice to smokers.