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Job summary

Main area
Volunteering
Grade
Volunteer
Contract
Voluntary: N/A
Hours
Part time - 3 hours per week (3hrs per week: Shifts available 7 days a week)
Job ref
DC901
Employer
Kingston and Richmond NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Kingston Hospital
Town
Kingston
Closing
19/01/2025 23:59

Employer heading

Kingston and Richmond NHS Foundation Trust logo

Dining Companion Volunteer

Volunteer

Home, community, hospital

Kingston and Richmond NHS Foundation Trust offers a range of fantastic opportunities to grow your career across both hospital and community settings in south London. Whether you're looking to build new skills or take your experience to the next level, we are uniquely placed to provide the right environment to support your professional development. With colleagues working in people’s homes, in community clinics, and in our two hospitals, we have an outstanding breadth of knowledge and experience to draw from.

Our commitment to exceptional care is reflected in being the first trust of our kind in London to achieve an ‘Outstanding’ rating from the CQC for both overall quality and leadership. We exist to provide the best possible care for our patients and we do that by giving our colleagues what they need to be their best at work. We have won numerous awards from the HSJ and Nursing Times for the way we support our colleagues across all our services.

We are proud to be recognised for our outstanding cancer care, children's services, pioneering surgical teams, and exceptional rehabilitation services. Our maternity services have been rated the "Best in London" by women surveyed by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), with parents travelling to Kingston to take advantage of our considerable experience and expertise.

Our Trust values

These words are important reminders, but it’s our behaviours that tell people who we are. We expect all colleagues to bring our values to life in their work.

  • Compassionate: We provide care with kindness, understanding, and empathy for all.
  • Inclusive: We embrace diversity and respect the unique contributions of every individual.
  • Collaborative: We foster teamwork across all levels, working together and with our partners to deliver the best outcomes.
  • Inspiring: We are committed to continuous improvement and excellence in patient care, staff development, and innovation.

Nutrition is a key element of recovery for our patients, and many of them are elderly, or have dementia, and need physical assistance with feeding. As a Dining Companion, you will be assisting ward staff and patients during mealtimes, which includes feeding some patients who need extra help.

We aim to have Dining Companions in every medical ward for lunch and dinner, seven days a week. To support this, we ask volunteers to commit to one mealtime every week on a regular basis, for a minimum of six month. If you can give more time, we welcome this.

Essential Information:

If you are interested in more than 1 role, please submit your application on your initial preference (other roles can be discussed at assessment).

Please kindly note, you will be given a 20-minute assessment on the week commencing 27th January 2025 at the Volunteering office.

The Mandatory training for this role will be on Tuesday 11th March 2025.

Please only apply if you are able to attend the above dates.

Please can you ensure you provide details for 2 references (one of which you have known for over 3 years) It is essential you provide an email address for each reference when submitting your application. Please note – you can provide a family friend but not a relative.

Please ensure to bring the below I.D documents to your assessment otherwise we will not be able to proceed with your assessment on the day.

A minimum of THREE individual forms of valid, current, and original identification are required. Please bring one document from group one (below) AND two documents from group two (Below):

Group One:

  • UK Passport
  • EEA/Swiss Passport
  • Other passport with indefinite leave to remain
  • Other Passport
  • Biometric Residence permit
  • Driving Licence photo card (UK, IOM or CI)
  • Current EU Photo Driving Licence
  • EU national identity card - EU only

Group Two:

  • Driving Licence photo card (UK, IOM or CI)
  • Current EU Photo Driving Licence
  • Driving licence - old-style paper licence (must be UK)
  • Bank statement (UK/EEA) - less than 3 months old
  • Utility bill - less than 3 months old (UK)
  • Utility bill - 2nd Supplier - less than 3 months old
  • Council Tax Statement – issued in the last 12 months
  • Mortgage statement (UK or EEA) must be a recognised lender and issued in the last 12 months.

NB: If you are aged 16 - 19 years, in full time education and you are unable to provide two documents from group 2 above, the following ID options can be used: 

  • Full UK birth certificate (A4 size original , not photocopy, containing mother and fathers details)
  • Letter from head teacher or college principal, confirming you are a student and containing your name, current address and date of birth, PLUS either an official exam certificate in your name or a National Insurance number letter.

If you are unable to or have difficulty in providing the above evidence, please give us a call on 0208 934 3620 / 2549

Employer certification / accreditation badges

NHS Pastoral Care Quality AwardTrust IDCapital Nurse, LondonCommitted to being an Inclusive EmployerApprenticeships logoNo smoking policyLondon Living Wage is a voluntary commitment made by employers, who can become accredited with the Living Wage FoundationAge positivehttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications/kickstart-scheme-employer-resources/kickstart-scheme-brand-guidelinesMindful employer.  Being positive about mental health.Our Health HeroesDisability confident employerCare quality commission - OutstandingNational Preceptorship for Nursing Quality MarkLondon HCSW Award - Sustainable RetentionNational Preceptorship Quality MarkDisability Advice Line

Applicant requirements

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Volunteering Team
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
020 8934 2549 / 3620
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