VOLUNTARY SERVICES DEPARTMENT ANNUAL REPORT 2011/12 Patient Experience Team August 2012
INTRODUCTION The Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has a very long and successful tradition of welcoming volunteers from the local community into its wards and departments and currently more than 350 volunteers of all ages offer support and assistance to staff, patients and visitors. Indeed, 2012 marks the 40 th Anniversary of Leighton Hospital and it is remarkable that several pioneer volunteers from 1972 are still volunteering on a regular basis within our Outpatients Department. On 31 st March 2012, 226 registered volunteers were supervised and supported by the Voluntary Services Department. The Trust is also fortunate to have several voluntary organisations such as the League of Friends, WRVS, Hospital Broadcast Service, ABC Association, British Red Cross and the Ray of Hope Appeal that raise funds or provide services for the benefit of patients The purpose of involving volunteers is to: Compliment the services and facilities provided by the Trust and it s staff. Offer a welcoming face to patients, their relatives and visitors. Befriend patients and provide them with a link to staff and the local community. Benefit from the services and fundraising efforts of voluntary organisations. VOLUNTEER ACTIVITY It is the function of the Voluntary Services Department, within the Patient Experience Team, to meet the Trust s requirements for volunteers, promoting, developing and expanding the service whilst also supporting volunteers in their respective voluntary roles. The year from April 2011 to March 2012 was very successful with regard to the number of volunteers recruited and deployed within wards and departments. Recruitment was increased by just over 20% on the previous year, however a higher number of volunteers resigned after completing the minimum commitment of three months. Many of these recruits were seeking paid work or volunteering to support Access to Nursing/Midwifery courses at local colleges whilst others wanted ward experience to enable them to apply for the Nurse Bank. Volunteer numbers fluctuate greatly throughout the year, however, this report reflects the position at 31 st March 2012. Last years figures are in brackets ( ). Volunteers recruited from 1/4/11 to 31/3/11: 154 (127) Of these: Volunteers still in post: 83 (75) Volunteers resigned: 47 (26) Non-starters after induction and clearance 24 (22) Awaiting clearance 6 ( 4) 2
We request a minimum three month commitment to volunteering to justify completing the necessary recruitment checks however, this is not always honoured by a small minority of volunteers. During the year, 15.5% of volunteers who completed the recruitment process were then not available to commence voluntary duties for a variety of reasons. Last year this figure was 17.5%. There were 226 (228) registered Voluntary Services volunteers in post at 31 st March, 2012 working 246 (240) voluntary shifts per week. A number of volunteers carry out more than one voluntary role/shift which accounts for the discrepancy between the total volunteers registered and the number of shifts worked. A small number of long-term volunteers have retired during the course of the year. Notably, Alice Willacy, an Outpatients volunteer for 40 years, retired at the age of 91. VOLUNTEER ROLES Ward Assistants General Wards (97 Volunteers, 105 Shifts per week) Volunteers serve patients beverages, assist staff with errands off the ward. Talk to patients. Some student volunteers are intending to apply for medical school or nurse training and are volunteering to support their applications. Ward Assistants Maternity Unit (14 Volunteers, 14 Shifts) All of the volunteers currently assisting on the Maternity Unit are hoping to achieve a career in midwifery and, as part of an Access Course, are volunteering to support their studies and ultimately their applications for midwifery training. As with the general wards, they serve patient beverages, help make up empty beds and also assist visitors accessing the unit at busy times. Outpatients Hall Clinic Escorts (27 Volunteers, 29 Shifts) Volunteers escort patients to the appropriate clinic suite in appointment order, ensuring seats are available for them and assist patients with mobility problems. Enquiry Desks Main Entrance/Outpatients Department (9 Volunteers, 14 Shifts) Volunteers assist with reception duties and deal with over 2,000 enquiries each month from patients and visitors. Reception Assistants Pharmacy (7 volunteers, 8 shifts) Cardio Respiratory/E.C.G. (1 Volunteers, 2 shifts) Audiology (1 Volunteers, 5 Shifts) Patrick Murphy Unit (1 Volunteer, 1 Shift) Antenatal Clinic (1 Volunteer, 1 Shifts) Duties include greeting patients on arrival, telephoning for porters when required, talking with patients and assisting with routine administration tasks. 3
Accident & Emergency (3 Volunteers, 4 Shifts) Volunteers carry out a variety of roles including: serving refreshments with permission of staff; re-stocking leaflets where necessary; folding plastic bags used for holding patients belongings; chatting with patients awaiting beds; tidying the play area. Treatment Centre (9 Volunteers, 11 Shifts) Several volunteers assist with clerical duties including telephone enquiries and serving patient refreshments. Meet & Greet volunteers assist in Endoscopy Medical Records (3 Volunteers, 4 Shifts) Delivering/collecting patient case notes as required. Discharge Lounge (2 Volunteer, 4 Shifts) A volunteer talks to patients, assists with refreshments and transfers to the ambulance station. Restaurant (1 Volunteer, 2 Shifts) A volunteer assists with setting up the self-service areas with cutlery, trays, tea/coffee, sauces etc. and helps to clear tables. Leaflet Co-ordinator (2 Volunteers, 2 Shifts) Volunteers replenish leaflets, removing outdated issues, in wards and departments each week, advising staff of shortages when necessary. Hospital Visitors (3 Volunteers, 5 Shifts) Volunteers visit the Rehab and Medical wards each week to visit with patients, particularly those who have few visitors. Physiotherapy (1 Volunteer, 1 Shift) A volunteer assists with filing, watering plants etc. Extra assistance is provided on an adhoc basis. Chapel Escorts (20 Volunteers, 4- weekly shifts by rota) A team of volunteers from two local churches operate a rota system to assist with escorting patients to the Chapel each Sunday morning. Mealtime Assistants (4 Volunteers, 4 Shifts) Trained volunteers attend at lunchtimes and assist with feeding patients on wards. Some ward volunteers also assist with ad-hoc feeding but are not included in this category. PALS Office (2 Volunteers, 2 Shifts) Assistance is given with clerical duties. Macmillan Cancer Centre (6 Volunteers 6 shifts) One volunteers assists the Macmillan Information Manager, 5 volunteers assist with patients drinks etc. Orthopaedic Clinic (1 volunteer, 2 shifts) A volunteer assists with directions and clerical duties during busy clinic sessions. 4
Eye Care Centre/ENT (4 Volunteer 4 Shift) Ophthalmology Theatres (Hand-holders) - (4 Volunteers 6 Shifts) Intensive Care Unit (4 Volunteers 5 Shifts) clerical duties PET Volunteers A number of volunteers attend focus groups, assist with patient surveys, monitor quality and proof read patient leaflets etc. on an ad-hoc basis. Volunteer Chaplains Visit wards to chat to inpatients. (3 Volunteers 6 shifts) VICTORIA INFIRMARY The majority of the voluntary work at Victoria Infirmary is undertaken by WRVS. Their members provide the buffet bar service and assist with escorting patients to Outpatient clinics. Physiotherapy Department has a volunteer who offers general assistance with various duties in the department. RETENTION AND RECOGNITION OF VOLUNTEERS People are more likely to make a long-term commitment to volunteering within the Trust if they feel they are valued and the job they are doing is worthwhile and enjoyable. It is essential to give both new and established volunteers the support, training and encouragement they need to carry out their voluntary role to retain volunteers for as long as possible, We are very fortunate that a significant number of volunteers have been supporting the hospital for many years and 1/3 have completed five years or longer. Four volunteers have now completed their 40 th year of helping in Outpatients Department. The table below indicates length of service for current volunteers with last years figures in brackets : Length of Service Number of Volunteers 35 to 40 Years 4 (4) 30 to 34 Years 1 (1) 20 to 29 Years 6 (8) 15 to 19 Years 16 (13) 10 to 14 Years 9 (14) 5 to 9 Years 38 (25) 1 to 4 Years 70 (88) Under 1 year 83 (75) Total 226 (228) The Annual Volunteers Evening was held in October, 2011 when almost 200 volunteers throughout the Trust attended. This eagerly awaited event is held each year to acknowledge the work of volunteers and voluntary organization and thank them for their contribution 5
throughout the year. It is hosted by the Chairman and Chief Executive and supported by other Trust Board members and the Patient Experience Team. During the course of the evening, several volunteers received awards in recognition of long service in wards, departments and organisations. An Afternoon Tea is held in June for all volunteers but particularly for those who, for whatever reason, cannot attend the Volunteers Evening. This event has proved very popular since it was introduced in 2009 and it is very well attended. EQUALITY & DIVERSITY Every effort is made to regard established and prospective volunteers equally and value their diversity of age, ability, gender and culture to ensure the MCHFT volunteer workforce reflects all aspects of the local community. We currently have volunteers who are employed, unemployed, retired or in further education; a small number have either physical or learning disabilities. All volunteers are valued for the contribution they make to the Trust in their various roles. An Equality Impact Assessment on volunteering was carried out last year and this highlighted the need to monitor cultural involvement in volunteering at the Trust. To achieve this aim, an Equality Monitoring Form was introduced and is sent out with the standard application forms. The EMF is detached on receipt and filed separately to enable the information to be collated at the end of the financial year and included in the Voluntary Services Annual Report. A full years figures was not available for this year s report, however, the information available between 15 June 2011 and 31 March 2012 indicates the cultural nature of the volunteers recruited was:- White/British. 96.2% Other Cultural Groups. 3.8% The cultural groups include Asian/British (4 volunteers); Chinese/British (3); Black/British (1) The volunteering application form has been amended to indicate that voluntary work can be arranged to suit the requirements of an individual s religion or belief. Most volunteering documentation has now been amended to include information to encourage cultural diversity. The volunteering leaflet will be updated and reprinted in the next few weeks as current stocks are diminishing and further supplies will be ordered. VOLUNTARY ORGANISATIONS The Trust is fortunate to have several voluntary organisations whose members raise funds or provide services to the hospital:- After Breast Care (ABC) Association (Fundraising) 6
. British Red Cross Community & Hospital Support Service British Red Cross Therapeutic Care/Skin Camouflage Services Hospital Broadcast Service (Hospital Radio) League of Friends (Fundraising, Hospital Shop, Book Service) WRVS (Buffet Service in OPD, Fundraising) Haslington & Crewe Green Mothers Union (Toiletry Bags for Emergency Patients) Haslington Methodist Church (Clothes for Discharge) Samaritans volunteers attend fortnightly in our Outpatients Department for the benefit of any patients or staff who would like to talk to them. A meeting with representatives of the voluntary organisations and the Director of Nursing is held annually. This meeting is an opportunity for our voluntary organisations to raise specific issues or concerns and to network with other represented groups. COMMUNICATION In addition to operating an open door policy to encourage volunteers to liaise with the Voluntary Services Manager, continued efforts have been made to improve communication with volunteers and voluntary organisations within the Trust. Regular coffee mornings are held for volunteers to socialise and be briefed on Trust issues, which may be of interest, also a quarterly newsletter is published to update volunteers on matters which affect them as volunteers and service users. Both these initiatives have been welcomed by our volunteers. WORK EXPERIENCE During the summer of 2011, The Voluntary Services Manager organised observational work experience placements for students applying to universities to study medicine. A total of 24 Consultant-led placements were organized in various specialties. The Voluntary Services Manager attended two So You Want To Be A Doctor open days held in the Post Graduate Medical Centre and gave information on voluntary work to sixth form students and as a result, many students chose to undertake a period of voluntary work to support their university applications. Over recent years, many students have been successful in achieving a University place to study medicine, using their voluntary work and work experience placements at MCHFT to support their applications.. NEW VOLUNTEER PROJECTS Volunteers have been introduced into the Eye Care Centre/ENT Clinic to meet & greet patients and escort them between the two departments. FUTURE RECRUITMENT 7
Volunteer recruitment has continued to be challenging over the past year. Fewer long-term, usually retired, volunteers are available for a variety of reasons, including the requirement to work longer before retirement and the need to continue in paid work due to the economic climate. Short-term volunteering and the resulting faster turn-over in volunteers, inevitably means an increase in the amount of time devoted to interviews and admin/clerical duties required in the recruitment process and this has to be balanced against adequately supporting those volunteers already in post. Many students see volunteering as a means of supporting future career aspirations in nursing or medicine. Some volunteer ward assistants progress onto our Nurse Bank as health care assistants, so remain with the Trust as paid employees. Evening and afternoon volunteering has increased in popularity, particularly with students, and those in full-time work. Whilst evening volunteering is limited both in scope and impact on services, it is nonetheless a valuable source of community involvement and assistance to staff which is to be encouraged. It is essential that the roles that volunteers are offered are interesting, enjoyable and constructive so that MCHFT continues to be a popular volunteering choice for the local community. Opportunities to promote all volunteering opportunities in the Trust will continue to be a priority using posters, leaflets, local news media, group contact, volunteer bureaux and word of mouth. The Trust website has a page for volunteering and many new recruits make their initial enquiries by email from this source. CONCLUSION Volunteering was introduced to Leighton Hospital in 1972 and since then there have been many changes both to the NHS and our hospitals within the Trust. However, after 40 years since the first pioneer volunteers were welcomed into the hospital, our volunteers continue to provide a unique and valuable service to patients and staff at Mid Cheshire Hospitals Foundation Trust. Our volunteers are local people, many of whom are service users or carers, and they have a wealth of experience and useful skills to offer. Many volunteers play a key role in helping to shape and plan our services for the future by sitting on committees and assisting with audits, whilst others work very closely with patients in wards and clinics or raise funds for various projects. Whatever their role, they all make a difference. Our volunteers and voluntary organisations are rightly acknowledged as a valuable asset to Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. They are a committed and dedicated unpaid workforce whose contribution to the patient experience is considerable and invaluable. Linda Edwards Voluntary Services Manager August 2012 Three cheers for volunteers. 8