Welcome to South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust

Being our first point of contact, our helpdesk volunteers provide an excellent service, welcoming patients and visitors to the hospital.

This role will involve:

• Monitoring the main entrance of the hospital
• Help direct people to the correct building and departments
• Assisting with any queries
• Ensuring everyone's visit is as trouble-free as possible

We are looking for volunteers to support SWFT Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapists in delivering the Falls Intervention Programme to patients, which will involve a circuit set up of strength and balance exercises designed to reduce the risk of falls among older people. 

The classes will be held in 5-week blocks at both Stratford Leisure Centre and Castle Fram Leisure Centre, starting mid-February. We are looking for volunteers who can commit to at least 6 months. 

Macmillan Cancer Information and Support Centres offer free, confidential information and support to everyone affected by cancer. People receiving a cancer diagnosis will usually have lots of questions about the illness and proposed treatments as well as less obvious but related questions about finance and lifestyle. Family, friends and people who are worried about cancer may also want information, the centre is set up to provide a service to a wide range of people, with different experiences and needs.

The volunteer role involves the flexibility to work at either hospital site (Stratford and Warwick) in agreement with the Macmillan information manager. The main role is greeting each visitor to our service and establishing by talking to them what help they would like from the service and accurately taking the person’s details and informing the information manager by telephone or email so they can contact them and offer the required support. 

Main duties:

• Provide a polite and professional greeting to visitors to the service.
• Talk to each visitor to find out what help and information they need.
• Take accurate details of the patient, carer or health professional and then communicate this information to the Macmillan Information Manager
• If a patient is upset and needs support that day, telephone the information manager at the other site
• Understand and work within the clear boundaries of the volunteer role
• Enter client details into the service’s volunteer database using the QR code
• To ensure the information displayed at the centres is current and accurate
• Ensure that information booklets are appropriately stocked by auditing stocks
• Order Information booklets either from Macmillan or other charities or support groups
• Support with updating the services information directory
• Ensure people affected by cancer in treatment or clinic areas of the chemotherapy suites are aware of the information centre and its services, which can support them
• Help to promote the centre, for example, by distributing leaflets and posters around the hospital
• Help to set up the rooms ready for complementary therapy or Look Good Feel Better at Stratford Hospital
• Review the information used by the service and provide feedback to the service Lead
• Sign in and out of the volunteer system when you arrive and leave

Person specification: Useful skills, experience and competencies include:

• Good communication skills
• Good listening skills
• A polite and friendly personality
• To maintain the confidentiality of anyone who visits the centre
• The ability to be non-judgmental and remain calm when dealing with people who are upset and emotional.
• Respectful of people’s diversity and choice
• Reliable, trustworthy, committed and punctual
• To demonstrate competency to work in the centre alone, but will be able to contact the Information manager at the alternative site as appropriate
• Computer skills to support the service, with the ability to type information accurately
• Willingness to undertake the mandatory online learning designed for volunteers

Shifts are between 9.30 and 13.00 or 13.00 and 16.00 between Monday and Friday (although there is a flexible approach to suit you and the service). We are looking for someone who can commit to three to four hours a week, for 12 months.