Become a Patient Safety Partner
- Have you been a patient in hospital or in the community?
- Or do you have a friend or relative who has been in hospital?
- Are you interested in working in health care?
- Are you keen to use your experience to help other patients have the best and safest experience they can?
If the answer to any of these is “yes”, then why not apply to volunteer and join us at Alder Hey as a Patient Safety Partner?
Closing date Sunday 13th October 2024
Interviews Thursday 31st October 2024
Alder Hey Volunteers receive The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service
We are proud to have received The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. It is the highest award a voluntary service can receive in the UK and is a testament to all of our amazing volunteers, who give up their own time to enhance the experience of our children and young people and their families.
Volunteering with Alder Hey
Our volunteers have told us that giving their time is an incredibly rewarding and enjoyable experience, allowing them to meet friends, gain new skills and contribute to the community.
The first step to becoming a volunteer is to attend one of our recruitment sessions. These sessions will include all the information you need and also provide you with a chance to ask any questions. They will also include an informal small group interview.
Upcoming Recruitment Sessions
We have the following recruitment sessions:
Each recruitment session is from 10:00am to 4:00pm.
Due to current capacity, please be aware we are currently only accepting applications from those ages 18 and above.
All volunteers must be able to commit to a 12 month commitment of a minimum of four hours per week.
Volunteer roles include:
- Meet and greet in the atrium
- Ward/department receptionist
- Ward mealtime support
- Volunteer in our A&E department
- Play Support/Bedtime reading
- Ward companions
- Admin support
- Family Friends Test/ survey
- Family support
- Baby Cuddling
- PALS support
- Gardening
- Christmas/Events
- Performing
- Arts and crafts
- Facepainting
- Patient Safety
- Smoke patrol
- Young Volunteers
- Quality rounds
All our volunteers must complete the following recruitment process:
- Attend a recruitment session.
- Complete an enhanced adult and child DBS check (provided by the Alder Hey).
- Occupational Health check.
- Two references.
- Mandatory training.
- Complete a six-week induction period.
As a volunteer, we will support you by providing all relevant training and we will offer any additional sessions that may be of interest to you to enhance your role. We will provide free parking, travel expenses (£4.50 maximum per day), refreshment breaks and provide you with your volunteer uniform t-shirt for a £5 refundable deposit.
If you are looking for work experience within Alder Hey, please direct your enquiries to [email protected].
The important role our volunteers play
Volunteers complement the roles of paid staff; they do not replace them. Careful consideration has therefore been given to activities that volunteers undertake. Volunteers do not provide core services; instead, they provide support which adds value to services and the roles of paid staff.
Holly our Cuddle Manager
Holly and her owner Barry are also part of our volunteering family.
Barry and Holly, visit several times per week and visit our Atrium, Outpatient department, wards and newly opened Sunflower House. It’s really important than before and after Holly has had a cuddle or a stroke we wash our hands to reduce any risk of germs or infection.
For any therapy dogs lots of assessments and checks need to be done to ensure they are the perfect temperament and they also have to have all their vaccines.
Evidence has shown that pet therapy can reduce feelings of loneliness or isolation, encourage communication and social skills, and provide comfort during stressful times, such as during medical treatment Additionally, depression and anxiety levels usually decrease in patients who receive pet therapy.
Barry and Holly can also be requested to spend time with individual service users at Alder Hey such as those who are missing their own pets during a long stay and those with fears or phobias of dogs.
Pet therapy is not permitted in the following clinical areas; critical care floor, ward 3B, isolation rooms, ward 1C (neonatal / cardiology unit), treatment rooms, kitchens, pharmacies and in rooms of patients that are immunocompromised. Holly also can’t visit during meal times.
We know how much our children, young people and families enjoy seeing Holly and it’s the same for our Alder Hey colleagues who look forward to meeting Holly and Barry on their travels across the hospital
For any enquiries about Holly please email [email protected]
You can find out more about Pets as Therapy Charity.
Contact us
Please email us at [email protected] or call 0151 228 4811 – Ext 3174/3175