Job summary
- Main area
- Volunteers
- Grade
- Voluntary
- Contract
- Voluntary: Applicants are required to commit to a minimum period 6 months
- Hours
- 1 session per week (Mondays to Fridays 08:00-12:00, 13:00-17:00)
- Job ref
- Vols Act & Mob 02/01
- Employer
- The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Freeman Hospital
- Town
- Newcastle upon Tyne
- Closing
- 01/07/2024 12:00
Employer heading
Activity & Mobility Support Volunteer
Voluntary
Job overview
The purpose of the volunteer role is to help patients to maintain their normal level of mobility whilst in hospital, and to help prevent deterioration resulting from immobility. Volunteers will also engage patients in bedside games and activities to promote mental stimulation and enhance mood.
Main duties of the job
Based on Elderly and Orthopaedic wards, volunteers will support patients who are medically fit for discharge but not yet able to leave hospital, to maintain existing levels of mobility by encouraging patients to go for walks or engage in chair-based activity or exercise.
Working for our organisation
Our Voluntary Workforce
The Newcastle Hospitals Trust values the involvement of local people as volunteers in activities that enhance the patient, visitor and carer experience, and also support staff in delivering high quality health care.
Your offer of voluntary help is very much appreciated, and you will receive a warm welcome no matter which area of volunteering you choose.
Without our volunteers, we wouldn't be able to deliver the 'outstanding' care and service that we do today.
Important note on completion of the application form
REFERENCES: Candidates are required to provide the address, telephone number and work email address of TWO referees, who should be either a current or former employer, senior work colleague, teacher, tutor or person of good standing in the community, and certify that they have known you for a minimum of 3 years prior to the date of application. PLEASE NOTE: That we cannot accept references from Friends or Family members.
DBS: The majority of our Volunteer roles require a Disclosure and Barring Scheme (DBS) Check. The volunteer services team will apply for this on your behalf, as part of your pre-engagement checks. If you already hold an enhanced DBS and it is registered on the DBS Update Service, then you will need to provide evidence and present your original DBS certificate to the Volunteer Services Team during your ID check appointment.
EMAIL: All correspondence to you will be made via email, therefore please ensure that you check your SPAM folders as well as your inbox.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
- Supporting staff to get patients up and ready for the day
- Encouraging appropriate patients to engage in movement and mobility.
- Encourage and facilitate appropriate patients to engage in chair and bed exercise sessions.
- Engage identified patients in activities (1:1 and Group activities)
- Supporting therapy staff with group activities on ward
- Supporting with ward tasks to support discharge- e.g. collections from pharmacy
- Enabling patients to engage in hobbies (reading, discussions, word searches/crosswords)
- Supporting identified patients to go off ward or outside
- Collecting feedback forms from patients prior to discharge
Person specification
Specific skills / attributes required by volunteer
Essential criteria
- Good listening and communication skills are essential.
- Enthusiasm and an ability to motivate others.
- Able to chat confidently with patients and when necessary, put them at their ease.
- Patience and composure
- A caring, sympathetic, sensitive manner and a non-judgmental approach
- Reliable/dependable/flexible
- Understanding of confidentiality
- Willingness to take direction from clinical staff
Desirable criteria
- Studying or aiming to study Sports Science, Occupational Therapy or Physiotherapy
- Should have an interest in promoting patients’ health and well -being
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Ami Purcell
- Job title
- Senior Volunteer Services Administrator
- Email address
- [email protected]
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