You don’t need previous experience of volunteering or working in a hospital. We’re looking for individuals who are reliable, friendly, approachable and committed to making a difference.
Why Volunteer with us?
The Whittington Health NHS Trust is always looking for volunteers to help support the community and enhance our services. We see our volunteers as playing a key part in supporting patients to ‘live longer and healthier lives’ by providing additional and alternative levels of support in line with the support offered by healthcare professionals. We at Whittington Health see the well-being of our patients as a ‘team’ response and the volunteers are very much an active part of that team.
With this in mind we are always looking for a diverse group of volunteers with a broad range of skills and experiences. We believe it is important for volunteers and staff to relate to and reflect the needs of the communities in which it serves.
Volunteering is a great way of giving something back and learning new skills by gaining experience of working in a healthcare environment. It will also to help you to develop compassionate communication skills with patients and is a great way to meet new people whilst making a difference to your local community.
I’m studying and want to shadow a medical professional, can I?
No, volunteering is different from work experience. Nothing clinical takes place whilst you are volunteering and you will not be able to shadow medical professionals whilst volunteering. If you are specifically looking for a ‘work experience’ placement then please visit this page. Please note, work placements aren’t always available so you may be referred back to the volunteer’s office if there are no placements in your chosen department.
I'm only available in the evenings and weekends. Can I still volunteer?
Whilst we appreciate your interest in volunteering we currently do not have roles available which start after 3 o’clock or take place over the weekend. This may change in the future, so please do check back in later in the year.
Will I be offered any training?
Our volunteer induction videos are available to view on the volunteer’s website and can be found here. The induction videos cover topics such as infection control, rules, procedure and confidentiality. We will need you to confirm your intent to watch the induction videos on the volunteers application form before you start volunteering.
Depending on your role you may also participate in further training in topics such as conflict avoidance through customer care training, feeding training or training around dementia and Macmillan cancer information and support services.
Will I need health clearance?
We will need you to complete occupational health forms and DBS forms (formerly a CRB forms) and return them with your completed application. All application forms can be found on the becoming a volunteer page of our website. The occupational health forms will be sent to our occupational health service and they will discuss with you any health conditions that may impact on your time volunteering with us and any adjustments we need to make as a result. A conditional offer can be revoked depending on the circumstances.
As we treat patients with infectious diseases such as Tuberculosis (TB), they will also ask what vaccinations you have had in the past. You may need to have additional vaccinations to ensure you are fully immunised.
Why do I need a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check?
We are required by law to seek clearance from the DBS (formerly the Criminal Records Bureau) for all staff and volunteers who work unsupervised with vulnerable adults. This is to provide reassurance to patients, their families and carers about the staff and volunteers who will help them during their hospital stay.
DBS clearance is required before you can start volunteering. If you have convictions you will not automatically be denied an opportunity to volunteer. The type of conviction and when it took place will be taken into account before a decision is made.
Will you turn down my application if I have a previous conviction?
Not necessarily. We are only concerned about previous convictions or other information that might affect your suitability for the volunteer role.
Decisions will be made on a case by case basis after discussions with you. The volunteering service manager can answer any concerns you may have. Please call 020 7288 3974 to arrange a time to speak to them.
Will you provide a reference if I volunteer?
We will provide standard references for all volunteers who have given their time for one year or more and where the volunteering placement was successful.
How long can I volunteer for?
We ask that volunteers can commit for as long as possible. To ensure you get the best opportunity and exposure of how the hospital works and to improve the experience of our patients we ask that volunteers can commit for a minimum of 1 year.
0207 288 3936
Address:
Volunteer Services Department,
Level 0, Magdala Avenue,
London N19 5NF
Last updated11 Aug 2023