Volunteer to Career - Bridge Road Surgery

Volunteer to Career Role Description: 

We are looking for caring and passionate people who want to make a difference and volunteer with our Doctors practice, Bridge Road Surgery. Providing excellent, high-quality care is our priority and we want people who share our vision to join us. Volunteers make such a difference to staff, patients and visitors, and we are very grateful for their efforts. 

The Volunteer to Career Programme is a three-month volunteering placement with career development support. Beyond this there is the potential to extend your volunteering placement with the surgery and/or continue with onward training opportunities through the Volunteer to Career programme as agreed.

Joining as part of the Volunteer to Career (VtC) Programme, you will be assigned a mentor. Your mentor will support you to discover job roles in Health & Social Care, as well as providing free training and support to give you the confidence and skills to pass interviews and into employment.

Role outline – GP Practice Volunteer – Public facing 

Volunteering under the supervision of the Practice Manager/ Other Manager/ Reception Lead, you will undertake various activities which support patients and the practice staff. Volunteers will be required to maintain respect for the individuality, confidentiality, and dignity of all patients. 

The role includes volunteering in the GP Practice: 

• Meet and greet in the waiting room, and helping patients with the self-check in screens.

• Encouraging and supporting patients to use and gain confidence with the NHS App.

• Promoting our Patient Participant Group to patients in the waiting room. 

• Encouraging patients to complete the Friends and the Family Feedback.

• Maintain information boards throughout the practice, ensuring everything is up to date and looking great.

• Providing refreshments to staff to support their wellbeing whilst working with patients.

• Promoting that we are a research practice and any studies we are running.

• To talk/chat to patients who are waiting to be seen to create a welcoming and supportive environment.

• To support with vaccinations campaigns, helping patients with check in and in the waiting room.

• To engage with patients who are distressed and anxious, or simply in need of company whilst waiting for their appointment or following their vaccination.

We are keen to understand your skills and interests, and there is the opportunity to do different things, and work with a mix of professionals to keep your role varied. Any additions to the role description will be agreed by both parties.

Your volunteering day

You will be asked to volunteer at least 3 hours in a morning, afternoon or evening a week (could be week day or weekends) which will be agreed between yourselves and the Doctors surgery, depending on what works best for you and the needs of the practice. There may be the option to do more than 3 hours if wished, and the specific day(s) and times will be agreed between yourself and the Practice Manager. 

Your specific tasks will vary depending on the daily needs of the surgery, in-line with the volunteer role, and you will always report to either the Practice Manager or Assistant Practice Manager. There will be opportunity for 1 – 2 hours study time in the practice if wished, giving you the time and space to progress with your training.

Uniform

You will be provided with a polo shirt, which identifies you as a volunteer, and a lanyard. This should be worn with suitable trousers (please no jeans or jogging bottoms) or skirt and closed toe shoes. If provision of suitable trousers or skirt in addition to the polo shirt is helpful to you then please let us know. 

You will be required to wear an ID badge at all times whilst you are carrying out volunteer duties.

The practice uniform and personal appearance policy applies to all staff and volunteers and the main points of this policy which you should note are that, while on clinical areas, you must not wear a wristwatch, bracelets, or stoned rings as these items of jewellery can prevent good hand hygiene.

Refreshments

You will have access to the practice staff room with free refreshments throughout your shift. 

Travel expenses & car parking

You will be able to claim travel expenses whilst volunteering for the practice. If you have a car, free parking is available, and you will be able to claim millage at 45p per mile. Travel via public transport will be reimbursed. 

Inclusivity

We welcome applications from all people and welcome you to have a conversation with us should you have concerns about applying, or questions or considerations you would like to discuss. 

This role will require an enhanced DBS check to be completed as you will be volunteering in service supporting vulnerable adults, which will be undertaken free of charge. If you have specific access requirements, these can be discussed on application and we will endeavour to accommodate them.

Training & Development 

You will be provided (free of charge) with training and development opportunities to support you in the Volunteer to Career Programme and your volunteering activities at the surgery. This will include:

• NHS volunteer induction session 

• The practices volunteer induction, for example a tour of the building, online training modules with the practice such as confidentiality & data protection training.

In addition to this as part of the Volunteer to Career Programme, you will also receive further training sessions to help set you up for your new role, examples include:

1. First Aid at Work Training 

2. Handling Challenging Conversations & Situations Training

3. 1-2-1 mentor session per month

4. Additional careers support from the VtC Programme Lead, and funding for agreed training courses

5. Opportunities to visit healthcare settings with travel costs covered. 

Who we are looking for

These are the types of skills & qualities that we are looking for from our volunteers. This is a programme to encourage you to develop your skills, so please get in touch if you are concerned about any of the items listed below.

• Good standard of oral/written English.

• Communication skills – talking and listening to patients, staff and other volunteers.

• Understanding the importance of confidentiality.

• Be self-motivated.

• Able to follow practice policies at all times.

• An understanding of the importance of respect, dignity and compassion.

• Self-awareness of your own skills and limitations.

• Conduct yourself in a mature and responsible manner.

• Reliable, with good time management skills.

• Flexible/adaptable.

• Willing to work as part of a team.

• Keen to learn and develop your own skills.

• Empathy and understanding that people in Doctors practices are often facing challenges and not at their best.