Discharge Support On-Site Volunteer

Kingston and Richmond NHS Foundation Trust; Kingston upon Thames; On-site; GBP 10,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare provider in London is seeking a Discharge Support On-Site Volunteer. In this role, you will engage with patients to ensure they feel confident and supported upon leaving the hospital. You will help identify any concerns that might hinder a smooth transition home, such as stairs, pet care, and financial worries. This opportunity is designed for individuals passionate about patient care and providing essential support to the elderly. You will work closely with staff to enhance patient experiences during discharge.

Qualifications

• Ability to engage in meaningful conversations with patients.
• Ability to identify patient concerns about post-hospital care.
• Strong interpersonal skills to build rapport with staff and patients.

Responsibilities

• Help patients feel confident about going home after hospital.
• Identify potential concerns such as financial worries and care needs.
• Work collaboratively with staff and carers to provide support.

Job description

Please ensure to bring the below I.D documents to your assessment otherwise we will not be able to proceed with your assessment on the day.

A minimum of THREE individual forms of valid, current, and original identification are required. Please bring one document from Group One (below) and two documents from Group Two (below).

Group One

• UK Passport
• EEA/Swiss Passport
• Other passport with indefinite leave to remain
• Other Passport
• Biometric Residence permit
• Driving Licence photo card (UK, IOM or CI)
• Current EU Photo Driving Licence
• EU national identity card – EU only

Group Two

• Driving Licence photo card (UK, IOM or CI)
• Current EU Photo Driving Licence
• Driving licence – old‑style paper licence (must be UK)
• Bank statement (UK/EEA) – less than 3 months old
• Utility bill – less than 3 months old (UK)
• Utility bill – 2nd Supplier – less than 3 months old
• Council Tax Statement – issued in the last 12 months
• Mortgage statement (UK or EEA) – must be a recognised lender and issued in the last 12 months

NB: If you are aged 16‑19 years, in full time education and you are unable to provide two documents from Group Two above, the following ID options can be used:

• Full UK birth certificate (A4 size original, not photocopy, containing mother and father’s details)

Kingston and Richmond NHS Foundation Trust offers a range of fantastic opportunities to grow your career across both hospital and community settings in south London. Whether you’re looking to build new skills or take your experience to the next level, we are uniquely placed to provide the right environment to support your professional development. With colleagues working in people’s homes, in community clinics, and in our two hospitals, we have an outstanding breadth of knowledge and experience to draw from.

Our commitment to exceptional care is reflected in being the first trust of our kind in London to achieve an ‘Outstanding’ rating from the CQC for both overall quality and leadership. We exist to provide the best possible care for our patients and we do that by giving our colleagues what they need to be their best at work. We have won numerous awards from the HSJ and Nursing Times for the way we support our colleagues across all our services.

We are proud to be recognised for our outstanding cancer care, children’s services, pioneering surgical teams, and exceptional rehabilitation services. Our maternity services have been rated the “Best in London” by women surveyed by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), with parents travelling to Kingston to take advantage of our considerable experience and expertise.

Our Trust Values

• Compassionate: We provide care with kindness, understanding, and empathy for all.
• Inclusive: We embrace diversity and respect the unique contributions of every individual.
• Collaborative: We foster teamwork across all levels, working together and with our partners to deliver the best outcomes.
• Inspiring: We are committed to continuous improvement and excellence in patient care, staff development, and innovation.

As a Discharge Support On‑Site Volunteer you will focus on having meaningful conversations with patients about how they feel they will cope when they go home from hospital. You will help staff to identify any pitfalls, such as stairs, pet care, financial worries and other concerns that may prevent someone from going home well from hospital.

The Discharge Support Service supports patients aged 65 or over who are anxious about leaving hospital and how they will cope once home. The aim of this role is to help reduce fear and anxiety that patients may experience when leaving. This is an exciting opportunity to get to know patients and help to ensure they have a positive experience before and after being discharged, along with putting in place much‑needed support when they get home. You will proactively build a rapport with the relevant staff and carers to understand how best the service can help.

Essential Information

If you are interested in more than one role, please submit your application on your initial preference (other roles can be discussed at assessment).

Please kindly note, you will be given a 20‑minute assessment on the week commencing either the 26th January 2026 or 2nd February 2026 at Kingston Hospital.

The mandatory training for this role will be on Tuesday 10th March 2026.

Please only apply if you are able to attend the above dates.

Please can you ensure you provide details for 2 references (one of which you have known for over 3 years). It is essential you provide an email address for each reference when submitting your application. Please note – you can provide a family friend but not a relative.