Themes: Volunteers’ contribution to benchmarking in the hospital Volunteering in children’s services Bereavement volunteers The Queen’s Medical Centre (QMC) in Nottingham opened in 1978 and is the UK’s first purpose-built, acute, university hospital to bring together patient care, teaching and research under one roof. Known simply as ‘Queen’s’, it provides a full range of local and specialist services to Nottingham, and patients come from other parts of the East Midlands for specialist services. There are over 6,000 employees and approximately 600 volunteers, including those who volunteer through partnership agencies such as the WRVS and Nottingham Hospitals Radio. Information about volunteering is available throughout the hospital and most volunteers come forward having seen this information, or through word-of-mouth.
Volunteers’ Contribution to Benchmarking in the Hospital
Volunteers work in a range of settings and roles in the hospital, and their expertise is recognised and valued by the Trust and other NHS Trusts. All of the volunteers have the opportunity to interact with patients and visitors which makes them a reliable source of information. In particular the team of ‘meet and greet’ volunteers, seeing over 4700 people in a typical two-week period, are in a position to comment on aspects of hospital life. Volunteers sit on various working parties, such as the Friendly, Accessible and Clean Environment (FACE) Group to comment on and benchmark practice. Similarly, the ‘meet and greet’ volunteers were able to comment on and suggest improvements to hospital maps and signage systems, as a result of their experiences in helping people find their way round the hospital. Queen’s volunteers act as a conduit into the PALS and are also used by Primary Care Trusts when they hold meetings with stakeholders, such as people with disabilities. Volunteers also provide themselves as ‘bodies’ for medical exams, needed in a teaching hospital.
As well as the usual out-of-pocket expenses and access to training, Queen’s volunteers also receive access to some of the benefits available to staff, such as a 10% discount in the hospital pharmacy, use of the hospital gym and the hospital cyber café.
Queen’s also has two specialist volunteer services, and volunteers are referred between the three services to make best use of the potential volunteers and their skills and interests with the hospital.
Volunteering in Children’s Services
Following a pilot funded by the Opportunities for Volunteering Scheme and sponsored by the University Hospital Nottingham League of Friends, There are now a variety of volunteering roles in Children's services including Workers for Young People, Family Support and Play Workers, Ward Assistant/Support Worker and Arts in health Support Workers. Patients come from all over the Midlands and volunteers are recruited for specific posts, using the local paper, Nottingham Council for Voluntary Service and relevant websites. All volunteers complete an application form, supply two references and are subject to enhanced Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) disclosure. Once accepted, they receive training in:
hospital induction child protection health and safety their particular role within the children’s services In addition, all volunteers sign a confidentiality declaration. Potential volunteers welcome the enhanced screening and several volunteers have gone on to study for play work or youth work, or on to paid employment with children.
There are currently around 50 volunteers within Children’s Services, whose roles include:
Play workers Meal-time assistants Classroom assistants Ward assistants Family support workers Diabetic support workers Youth workers, who help run a youth club for young people in hospital Plus a reflexologist, a driver and a newsletter editor Research carried out with hospital staff within Children’s Services showed that volunteers were welcomed on wards and in departments, and that staff would welcome the support of more volunteers.
Bereavement Volunteers
The Department of Spiritual and Pastoral Care has about 100 volunteers who assist as ward visitors, chapel escorts (taking people to services within the hospital), taking the Eucharist to those patients who cannot get to services, and assisting with services within the chapel. Ward visitors undertake a six week training course and are allocated a ward, which they will visit on a weekly basis, both visiting and giving support to patients and the staff (this includes all faiths). Ward visitors also provide a link to the Chaplains and are able to identify those patients who want spiritual support. For many elderly patients this is an important part of their recovery, and between 20-50 people attend services in the hospital each week, as well as those who receive the Eucharist on the wards. Other patients listen to the religious service from the QMC chapel on Nottingham Hospitals’ Radio (also run by volunteers).
In addition, Queen’s has a Bereavement Centre for the support of relatives and friends following the death of a patient in QMC. This Centre provides a service to all bereaved people, making sure that they have practical and pastoral support immediately after death. The volunteers are essential to this service in:
welcoming people to the centre, making cups of tea or providing company as appropriate answering the telephone collecting death certificates and property from wards escorting relatives and friends to the Chapel of Rest carrying out any other tasks which ensure that relatives are cared for and helped while they are in the centre “As a patient everyone else is doing things to you, whereas volunteers can give freely of their time”
For further information contact:
Kerry Harper
Voluntary Services Manager
Queen’s Medical Centre – UHN-NHS
Derby Road
Nottingham
NG7 2UH
Tel: 0115 924 9924
E-mail: kerry.harper@mail.qmcuh-tr.trent.nhs.uk
Eva Bradley (Children's Services)
Volunteer Services Administrator
eva.bailey@mail.qmcuh-tr.trent.nhs.uk
Jane Cooke
department of spiritual and pastoral care co-ordinator
jane.cooke @mail.qmcuh-tr.trent.nhs.uk
