Volunteer Centres influencing volunteering in a hospital
- Taking the opportunity to influence the NHS
The Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and the Princess Royal Hospital merged in October 2003 to become the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals NHS Trust. The Trust has 5701 staff and 758 beds. It is an acute hospital and patients come from all over Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin and Mid Wales.
For many years the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital had involved volunteers within the hospital in traditional roles in the tea bars, shops and the library service. The work was co-ordinated by organisations such as the WRVS and the League of Friends. Small “pockets” of volunteers developed in other areas of the hospital but there was no one employed by the hospital who was responsible for supporting and co-ordinating these volunteers, and it was difficult for potential volunteers to find a way into the hospital.
The local Volunteer Centre Co-ordinator had personal contacts with the Hamar Help and Support Centre based at the hospital, which had successfully placed volunteers and contributed to training there. As a result of this link the Volunteer Centre Co-ordinator was approached by the Director of Corporate Services for the Trust, to look at extending the role of volunteers within the Trust, with a particular concern regarding additional support for elderly frail patients.
The Volunteer Centre Co-ordinator offered to help, with the advice that there should be someone in the hospital with responsibility for co-ordinating the volunteers, and discussed with the hospital:
- the various roles that volunteers could be involved in
- the problems that might arise
- how a Voluntary Services Manager could help
The Volunteer Centre Co-ordinator and staff from the hospital went on a joint visit to Aintree Hospital NHS Trust where they met volunteers and staff there and realised the impact the volunteers could have on the hospital, and adding value to existing NHS services. At the same time the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital found a source of external funding, through the Home Office, for a Voluntary Services Manager and decided to create this role.
The Volunteer Centre Co-ordinator was involved in the recruitment of the Trust’s Voluntary Services Manager who was appointed in July 2003, and is linked to the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS).
The Voluntary Service Manager has developed the volunteer roles within the hospital by:
- establishing a process to develop role descriptions
- working with hospital staff to develop role descriptions
- working with partner organisations such as the WRVS and the League of Friends, so that the VSM is now involved in recruiting volunteers for the League of Friends in the hospital
- developing induction training for all volunteers, including those from partner organisations, which covers fire safety, food hygiene, manual handling and health and safety.
- Producing newsletters for volunteers to improve communication between the Trust and Volunteers.
There are numerous established roles for volunteers within the Trust, including hostesses, ward volunteers, chaplaincy volunteers and PALS volunteers, and new roles are being developed all the time, often in response to the interests of individual volunteers. For example, a recent volunteer had experience of medical research in another country and wanted to volunteer as a researcher. She has now been placed as a volunteer in a research position, making use of her skills and assisting the Department.
For further information contact:
Jane Hunt
Volunteer Co-ordinator
Voluntary Action Shrewsbury
01743 341700
info@shrewsburyvolunteers.cvs.org.uk
Di Davis
Patient and Public Involvement Co-ordinator
Shrewsbury and Telford Hospitals NHS Trust
01743 261691
di.davis@rsh.nhs.uk
