Volunteers

Work across the hospital is supported by a valuable network of volunteers who provide a wide variety of support services which are vital to the ongoing success of the hospital.Yeovil District Hospital has volunteering opportunities to suit all interests

Roles we have include:

General volunteers

These provide invaluable support across the hospital. You will find them in our reception area meeting and greeting visitors and helping out in a range of departments including day theatres and outpatients.

Friends of Yeovil Hospital Shop

The hospital shop is one of our busiest areas and is always in need of volunteers to cover the long hours it is open. Helpers are required both in the shop and to take a trolley around the wards during the day, in the evenings and at weekends.

Radio Camelot

Ever fancied being a disc jockey well why not give it a go. Helpers have the opportunity to become presenters on our hospital radio service but if you are not too keen to go on air help is also needed to maintain the music library and bedside equipment and liaise with patients.

Macmillan Unit

Volunteers can help and support patients attending the Oncology Unit by providing refreshments, lunches, chatting to them and running errands to pathology and pharmacy. We currently require reserve volunteers to provide cover when our regular volunteers are sick or away on holiday. Sessions usually run from 9am and 1pm and 1pm to 5pm.

Cancer Information and Support Centre – Run by a team of trained volunteers who can listen and put people in touch with services that may be of help when coping with all the uncertainties that a cancer diagnosis can bring. A confidential drop-in service to help anyone who has a cancer diagnosis or who is supporting someone being treated for cancer.

We ask that our volunteers are at least two years away from a close bereavement or their own cancer treatment.

 

Freewheelers

You need to be a confident motor cyclist to take on this important role. Freewheelers are fully trained to advanced standards to they can provide emergency motorcycle transport for urgent medical supplies both locally and, ocassionally, nationally. To find out more go to the link on the right of this page.

Chaplaincy

Anyone interested in this is welcome to come along and support the work of the Hospital Chaplaincy team. There are three main roles: visiting patients on the wards, helping to set up the chapel service on Sunday and administrative support in the chapel office.

Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) Group

f you want to have your say in helping to ensure our services meet the needs of our patients you can become a member of the PPI Group. Members participate in a range of working groups aimed at enhancing our services and provide advice from a patient perspective on our hospital communications and publications.

Benefits

As a volunteer you can expect:

• An interesting and rewarding experience
• An opportunity to work with the public and our staff
• A full induction
• Reimbursement of travelling and car parking costs
• Use of the hospital restaurant at reduced rates
• Copies of a regular newsletter
• Invitations to the annual reception and awards ceremony

Recruitment process

If you are interested in volunteering, the hours are flexible but a regular commitment is required for at least a year to justify the administration process which includes references, a CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) check and a health questionnaire. All volunteers are required to attend a full training day  which includes our induction and iCARE awareness session. Volunteers are expected to respect the confidentiality of patients and will be required to sign a declaration to this effect.

Once your application form has been received, if we feel that there is a role which you would be suited to, you will be invited to attend an informal discussion about the type of placement that will be of benefit to you and the hospital. We will then try to find a suitable area for you to work in and arrange for you to meet the manager or supervisor who would be responsible for you. Working times and days would be agreed between that manager and yourself.

The Volunteer Co-ordinator is Amy Mercer who works in the Communications Department on level one and can be contacted via 01935 384233 or email: amy.mercer@ydh.nhs.uk

Work experience

Students wishing to gain clinical experience of working in a hospital prior to their university application should do this through our work experience co-ordinator Elaine Cox. Please email her on elaine.cox@ydh.nhs.uk or ring 01935 384529.