Volunteer - Ward Assistant

Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; Crewe; On-site; GBP 10,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A local health service provider is seeking Volunteer Ward Assistants at Leighton Hospital in Crewe. This role involves supporting ward staff and enhancing patient experiences, especially at mealtimes. Volunteers must be at least 16 years old and commit to 3 hours per week for a minimum of 6 months. This is a valuable opportunity to gain experience in a healthcare environment.

Qualifications

• Must be 16 years of age or over.
• Ability to interact comfortably with patients and staff.
• Commitment to a minimum of 3 hours per week for at least 6 months.

Responsibilities

• Assisting ward staff by delivering drinks and helping at mealtimes.
• Collecting and washing water jugs, refilling and distributing them.
• Running errands to other departments such as pharmacy.

Job description

Overview

We are currently looking for Volunteer Ward Assistants at Leighton Hospital Crewe. These volunteers assist and support staff on the ward to meet the needs of patients and to enable ward staff to carry out their clinical duties. We are particularly interested to receive applications from those interested in supporting patients at meal- times. Volunteer shifts are available 7 days a week, with various hours to suit. Volunteers contribute a great deal to the patient experience and to assisting our staff. Volunteering on a ward is a great way for you to experience the health care environment, to learn about the different health care disciplines and to become comfortable interacting with patients and staff.

Volunteers provide drinks to patients, assist at mealtimes, help with basic administrative tasks, run errands to different departments and chat with patients. Volunteers are not allowed to lift or move patients, or do anything of a personal or intimate nature for patients. Volunteers are very much part of the ward team and the hospital.

Responsibilities

• Main Tasks will include: Collecting and washing water jugs, refilling jugs and distributing to patients.
• Helping patients to complete menu choice cards.
• Dispensing hot drinks to patients from trolley.
• Ensuring the patient kitchen is tidy and clean.
• Running errands to other departments such as pharmacy, pathology etc.

Additional Tasks

• Provide general assistance as needed such as answering the ward door, answering phones, passing messages and undertaking basic admin such as photocopying, filing and printing labels to support our teams.
• Help the Housekeeping teams to keep areas clean, organised and assist with stock levels.
• Provide company and comfort to patients who may have no visitors or family.
• Supporting catering staff to serve meals.
• Restocking supplies, putting away pharmacy stocks and stores deliveries - monitoring supply levels.

About Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides comprehensive hospital and community services for East Cheshire (population 399K) and West Cheshire and Chester (population 357K). Our services include planned and unplanned/emergency care, cardiac and critical care, child health, maternity, and intermediate care across Leighton Hospital in Crewe, Victoria Infirmary in Northwich, and Elmhurst Intermediate Care Centre in Winsford. Through our community arm, Central Cheshire Integrated Care Partnership, we deliver extensive services in 26 medical centres and schools in collaboration with Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS FT and the South Cheshire and Vale Royal GP Alliance. With 500 beds and around 5,500 staff, we are one of the area\'s largest employers. Since the formation of Integrated Care Systems in July 2022, the Trust has become a key partner in Cheshire East & Cheshire West and Chester and in two provider collaboratives, aligning our strategic goals with the Cheshire & Merseyside Integrated Care System. As part of the national New Hospital Programme, we\'re reimagining Leighton Hospital to create a new health and care neighbourhood, transforming healthcare delivery for a Healthier Future. Learn more on our Healthier Futures website.

Volunteer requirements and recruitment

We request volunteers give a minimum of 3 hours of their time once a week, for a minimum of 6 months. Volunteers, who successfully complete their training and at least 6 months volunteering will be eligible to apply and be interviewed for MCHFT Bank vacancies. Before you apply you must ensure you are 16 years of age or over. You will be required to pay for a DBS disclosure where the post requires one (Free for volunteers). All new Volunteers are required to complete mandatory online E-learning as part of their induction, which includes infection control, data awareness, safeguarding and fire safety. In addition, new volunteers will receive one to one training / shadowing in their role, these sessions equip you for volunteering in a hospital environment. Please note that confidentiality of all information, at all times, must be observed, no matter how trivial it may appear. The privacy and dignity of our patients must always be protected. Applications must be completed in full to be considered. We\'ll get in touch with you when we review your application. This might take 2 - 3 weeks. You will then be invited to attend an interview, either remotely or in person. Following interview, successful candidates will receive a Conditional offer, stating the next steps of the recruitment process. This includes Occupational health review, DBS check (free for volunteers) and Reference requests. All new Volunteers are required to complete mandatory online E-learning as part of their induction, which includes infection control, data awareness, safeguarding and fire safety. In addition, new volunteers will receive one to one training / shadowing in their role, these sessions equip you for volunteering in a hospital environment. Failure to complete the necessary recruitment checks and Induction training, will result in the offer being withdrawn.

Key messages for applicants

• Please let us know if you require an adjustment to our recruitment process.
• All correspondence will be sent via the email address you have registered as your TRAC account.
• Selection is based on the Trust\'s values, and the criteria outlined in the Job Description for the role.
• Employers have a legal responsibility to ensure that their employees have a "right to work" in the UK. Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust hold a Sponsor Licence, which means that we MAY be able to sponsor you IF the role meets the UK Government requirements for sponsorship. Not all NHS roles are eligible for sponsorship. To be eligible for sponsorship, the role must be in an eligible occupation code and must meet the skill level and the minimum salary threshold. You can find more information on the Government website.
• Staff recruited from outside the NHS will usually be appointed at the entry point (bottom) of the pay band.
• Appointments are subject to a 6-month probationary period. LED Doctors are subject to a 3-month probationary period.
• Please provide a contact email address for referees when you submit your application. We will not request any references until after you have been made a formal job offer.
• You will be required to pay for your DBS disclosure (where the post requires one). This will be done via 3 monthly instalments from your pay. We encourage applicants to join and remain registered with the DBS update service.
• We do not reimburse travel to interview expenses.
• Some posts may have implications on existing NHS Pension Scheme arrangements. For further information please visit the NHS Pensions Agency website: https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/nhs-pensions
• Secondments will be considered for fixed term positions when both parties agree. Candidates should seek approval from their current line manager before application.