Volunteers are highly valued within Nottinghamshire Healthcare, making a significant difference to the lives of patients, carers and services. They perform a wide range of non-clinical roles, that complement and enhance the work of paid staff and improve the patient’s experience.
Volunteers are in many different areas of Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and they are supported not only by our team, but also by staff members who act as “Placement Officers”. We want to work with staff to make sure that both they and volunteers are adequately supported to enable the best outcomes for patients, carers, staff and volunteers. This page has information and resources for staff who currently support volunteers as well as for those who’d like volunteers within their team or service or know someone who’d like to volunteer. We also have information on Connect, Nottinghamshire Healthcare’s internal intranet.
Returning volunteers back to roles
Due to the Covid Pandemic, the Involvement, Experience & Volunteering Team suspended many of our existing Nottinghamshire Healthcare volunteer roles to meet demands of services. We’re in the process of returning volunteers back to roles, now that the majority of restrictions have been lifted.
If you’re a staff member and previously had volunteers in your service and are wanting them to return, please contact our team us first so that we can work with you and properly support both you and the volunteer.
Requesting a volunteer
If you’re a staff member and you’d like a new volunteer or volunteer role in your service, please get in touch with us. We’d be really happy to work with you to help develop the role, advertise and recruit to it. It’s really important that we ensure that all volunteers in our services have the correct checks and training in place to help keep our patients, carers, staff and volunteers safe.
New volunteers
If you’re a staff member who has a service user, carer or knows someone that wants to volunteer, you can see the roles we’re currently recruiting for on our opportunities page.
Staff FAQs about volunteers in Nottinghamshire Healthcare:
I have a service change project, do people need to be a volunteer to get involved?
Not necessarily. Volunteer roles require certain checks and training due to the nature of the role within the Trust. Getting involved with service change projects may not require the same checks and training. Contact the Involvement, Experience and Volunteering Team, we can help advise you and possibly offer support with your project.
What checks do volunteers have?
Nottinghamshire Healthcare volunteers are active in a range of roles across our organisation. Our team help support them in placements that are complimentary to paid staff and enhance our services for patients and carers.
Volunteers are recruited and trained in accordance with national guidlelines and we work closely with HR and Safeguarding. Before being placed in services, volunteers will undergo:
- Personal reference checks
- DBS checks
- Safeguarding & Information Governance training
- Volunteer Agreement
They will then be issued with Nottinghamshire Healthcare ID badges & volunteer lanyards and will receive ongoing support from a member of our team, as well as from a nominated staff member from within the service in which they’re volunteering.
How do I request a volunteer?
You may need volunteers performing specific roles within your team or service, for example, assisting staff in organising and engaging patients with activities on wards.
Please contact the Involvement, Experience & Volunteering Team with any requests, detailing:
- The volunteering role needed
- The time commitment (one off, regular days/hours)
- Location
- Patient group
- Telephone/email details of staff member for volunteer point of contact
If you’d like a volunteer but aren’t sure what they’d be able to do within your service, get in touch with us and we can work with you to help you develop a role.
How do I support volunteers?
If this is your first time supporting a volunteer, we’ve put together a short guide for staff during Covid-19.
We want you to feel fully supporting when hosting volunteers, there is a more comprehensive Placement Officer Handbook that is available on the internal Nottinghamshire Healthcare Connect pages.
If you ever have any questions about volunteers or need further support, we’ll be happy to help. Contact us
How do I refer someone who wants to volunteer?
For up to date information on our recruitment and roles available, please see our Volunteer Opportunities pages.
How do I refer someone who needs help?
We’re not able to accept direct referrals of patients or carers who may need support as part of their clinical treatment plan. We provide volunteers to support the work of staff in our teams.