The need for guidelines
Volunteering programmes in the NHS have developed in a variety of ways over time, with the result that the way in which volunteers are recruited and managed can be inconsistent, and can inadvertently give the impression that some roles are more valued than others. Research by the Institute of Volunteering Research in December 2004 and January 2005 highlighted these discrepancies and the potential difficulties they could create. This document is intended to inform local practice, and help to harmonise and regularise support for NHS volunteer involvement so that it becomes more consistent and coherent across NHS organisations.
Contribution to the whole organisation
For the organisation to make the most of its volunteers, it needs resources and support from the whole organisation. Where the voluntary services are properly integrated into the organisation their contribution includes:
- developing services that meet the needs of the whole community increasing standards and the quality of care
- resolving small issues before they become formal complaints
- acting as advocates for the trust to the community
- enabling the trust to be Compact compliant
- supporting the trust in meeting Healthcare Commission Standards.
This document highlights where there is an implication for resources and/or NHS boards.
Where this guidance is applicable
Although this guidance was specifically developed for the NHS context, it provides a framework of best practice in volunteer management, which could be applied to volunteers engaged in a variety of health and social care settings. The guidelines could also inform the business cases of voluntary sector organisations which are applying for funding or bidding for NHS contracts to demonstrate how they have arrived at costs.
Throughout the document there are references to voluntary services managers (VSM), but there are other members of staff who have responsibility for managing volunteers as part of their role. Similarly, not all trusts have a dedicated voluntary services manager, using a range of different models of managing volunteers. ‘Voluntary services manager’ has been used in this guidance as a shorthand term for anyone managing volunteers in the NHS.
This guidance does not cover paid PPI involvement or paid non-executive directors, and also excludes work experience and training schemes, which have a specific context outside volunteering. These issues are covered in separate NHS guidance Reward and recognition: the principles and practice of service user payment and reimbursement in health and social care (www.dh.gov.uk).
This work has been sponsored by the Department of Health through the Home Office funded Change Up programme, and reflects the importance of working with volunteers in NHS settings.
