Patient and Visitor Support Volunteer
Volunteer Role Purpose
Actively moving around the hospital, Patient and Visitor Support Volunteers play a key role in helping patients and visitors navigate the hospital, access their appointments, and feel safe, cared for and comfortable during their time at the Women’s. Two Patient and Visitor Support Volunteers per shift operate separately and independently, supporting patients through providing support, advice, and information, and helping them to access the right service at the Women’s.
Volunteer Responsibilities & Major Activities
As a Patient and Visitor Support Volunteer, you will play a vital role in ensuring that patients’ experience of our care is warm, approachable, friendly, compassionate and professional.
Moving independently around the hospital throughout your shift, you will:
- Offer a highly positive point of contact to our patients, families, visitors and other consumers throughout the hospital.
- Work to create an environment that values diversity, promotes an inclusive culture and establishes a sense of belonging for everyone in our community.
- Make eye contact, smile and greet people as they move around the hospital, and guide people to their destination.
- Be alert and available to assist with patients as you move around the hospital. Use your vigilance, intuition and initiative to approach people that would benefit from your help.
- Connect with staff and establish warm working relationships so that they know when you are on shift and available to be called on. Work in partnership with staff teams and volunteer colleagues to create the best possible patient experience.
- Be contactable on the volunteer mobile phone at all times on shift. Respond to requests from the Information Desk, Welcome Desk, Women’s and Pregnancy Clinics, Welcome Centre, wards and clinics to help a patient or support person find their way.
- Provide refreshments to outpatients in waiting areas with our Volunteer Refreshments Trolley.
Provide mobility/wheelchair support where needed.- Contribute to the comfort of patients and support persons in the public areas by providing information and advice; supporting people to access bathrooms; providing water and refreshments where possible.
- Provide directions to and advice about internal and external coffee venues and facilities.
- Assist service development through providing feedback to the Volunteer Program.
What We Need from You:
· You embody the Women’s values of courage, passion, discovery and respect.
· You are committed to contributing to an inclusive environment and aim to provide inclusive support to patients from a wide variety of experiences and backgrounds.
· You have a person-centred approach to working with others, you value constructive relationships and enjoy collaborating with team members.
· You are comfortable working solo and independently as one of two Patient and Visitor Support Volunteers on shift, actively moving around the building and using your vigilance, intuition and initiative to approach people who could benefit from your help.
· You have well developed interpersonal skills, a warm friendly manner and a keen desire to help people.
· You strive to put your best self forward and to approach your volunteering activities without assumptions, biases, or negative prejudices towards people who have had different experiences or come from different backgrounds to your own.
· You have a professional manner and an understanding of professional boundaries
· You are available for 4 hours weekly, Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 12.30pm or 12.15pm to 4.15pm
· You are reliable and punctual, and you can commit to a regular weekly timeslot for a minimum of 12 months.
Training and Support
The Women’s will provide you with initial training and ongoing support, including:
