About the Organisation
The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust is the world's first hospital dedicated to cancer diagnosis, treatment, research and education.
What you will be doing
As a Ward Support Volunteer, your role will be to enhance the patient's experience and support staff with non-clinical tasks. A key aspect is to make sure patients have appropriate help when required during mealtimes. In addition, our volunteers provide an important befriending service that ensures the patients non-clinical needs are considered during their stay.
Key tasks to support patients may include the following:
- To provide 1-2-1 support for those patients identified by staff as needing additional support during mealtimes.
- Engage with patients, ensuring availability to help with any non-clinical needs.
- Befriending patients with leisure activities, providing a listening ear or chatting.
- Provide support to family, friends & carers.
- Promote other voluntary services – Veterans Support, Pets as Therapy, etc.
- Signpost patients to the Patient Library on the RM website.
- Help to prepare patients for mealtimes, by clearing, repositioning tables and washing hands using wipes.
- Support ward host to deliver meals from the kitchen area.
- Help patients to be able to reach their food, open packets/remove lids, reduce portion sizes and liaise with ward host about other individual needs (no feeding of patients).
- Under the guidance of staff, identify patients who would like to go for a walk or sit out of bed.
- Refill water jugs and provide other hot/cold drinks to patients when required.
Key tasks to support staff may include the following:
- Collect non-controlled drugs from the pharmacy.
- Assist staff to make beds.
- Make drinks for staff and keep staff room welcoming and tidy.
- Keep visitors room tidy and replenished with tissues.
- Wipe trolleys and replenish stock.
- Keep areas tidy and clear from clutter.
- Support managing any plants/flowers in communal areas.
- Help patients to complete Friends & Family feedback forms.
- To support patients to complete a ‘This is Me’ passport where appropriate.
- Respond to patient call bells to meet patients’ basic non-clinical needs.
- To link with clinical staff if you see anything you consider to be a clinical need/escalation (being extra eyes and ears:
- Support the non-clinical supervision of patients under enhanced observations, by means of visual monitoring and escalation if a patient is trying to get out of their chair/bed without assistance etc.
- Ad-hoc requests from staff.
What's in it for you?
Volunteering in this role can be very rewarding as you see the benefit of your interaction with the patients.
You will be joining a friendly, supportive team of volunteers and staff.
Any volunteer joining us can choose to take part in the National Volunteer Certificate (NVC) programme. programme to achieve an award endorsed by Health Education England (HEE), Helpforce, and Skills for Justice (SFJ).
What skills will you need?
You will be required to attend an interview, provide two references, and complete basic health clearance questionnaire and police check (DBS).
Subject to meeting these conditions, training will be provided. This includes completing our short e-learning modules, an induction and orientation session and any other mandatory training required by The Royal Marsden.
What's the time commitment and where?
You should be able to commit to at least six months volunteering with regular weekly shifts of two to three hours, a minimum of 60 hours commitment.
Shifts are Lunch 11am-1.30pm / Dinner 4.30pm-6.30pm
How can I apply?
Please complete the form below and we will put you in contact with the organisation. It’s helpful if you can tell us a little about yourself and why you’re interested in this role in the message box below.
By completing this form you agree for us to pass on your contact details to the organisation.