Job summary
- Main area
- Volunteer
- Grade
- Voluntary
- Contract
- Voluntary
- Hours
- Flexible working - 4 hours per week
- Job ref
- 410-VOL-7002928
- Employer
- Liverpool Heart & Chest Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital
- Town
- Liverpool
- Salary
- £0 Volunteer work
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 16/03/2025 23:59
- Interview date
- 01/04/2025
Employer heading

Volunteer - Ward Responder
Voluntary
As the largest single site specialist heart and chest hospital in the UK, we, at Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital, have a clear vision 'to be the best cardiothoracic integrated healthcare organisation'.
We provide specialist services in cardiothoracic surgery, cardiology, respiratory medicine including adult cystic fibrosis and diagnostic imaging, both in the hospital and out in the community.
We serve a catchment area of 2.8 million people, spanning Merseyside, Cheshire, North Wales and the Isle of Man, and increasingly we receive referrals from outside these areas for highly specialised services such as aortics.
Heart and lung disease continue to be amongst the biggest killers in the UK and the communities we serve are marked by increased prevalence of cardiovascular disease, higher levels of heart failure, hypertension, coronary artery disease and an ageing population.
Our reputation for strong performance is important in delivering the best care for our patients and high quality clinical services. This is underpinned by a culture of research and innovation, delivered in modern estate and facilitated by technology. New and upgraded clinical areas are designed with patients and families fully involved to deliver their needs.
As part of our long term plan, we aim to form strong clinical and organisational relationships where possible. There is clear evidence that partnerships improve patient care and enhance quality and we aim to collaborate with a range of other providers and professionals with the aim to extending access and improve quality.
Our vision is underpinned by five strategic goals:
- Quality: to deliver the highest quality, safest and best experience for patients and their families by providing reliable care
- Service and Innovation: to develop our service portfolio for patients by developing innovative models of care
- Value: to maintain financial viability, enhance service delivery and develop new models of care to improve the health of our patients and safely reduce costs
- Workforce: to be the best NHS Employer by 2019 by attracting and retaining the best staff to deliver excellent patient care
- Stakeholders: to develop productive relationships with key stakeholders in order to enhance our profile and reputation.
Our Mission
“Excellent, Compassionate and Safe care for every patient, every day”
Job overview
Being a ward volunteer at LHCH you will be spending time with patients and friends/families of patients. You will can help with meal times, visiting patients and helping ward staff wherever needed.
Please note this role does not include anything medical.
Main duties of the job
- Visiting/chatting/reading to patients who may not have visitors
- To sit alongside and engage with patients at mealtimes by chatting and encouraging them to eat and drink, ensuring food and drink is within easy reach and accessible to the patient
- Helping the hostess to serve meals and deliver snacks to patients
- Refilling water jugs and keeping patient bed areas tidy
- Offering and providing refreshments to patients/relatives
- Helping prepare self-catering patients for washing – i.e. laying out their toiletries for them, assisting them when they are finished
- Helping escort low risk patients who are mobile around ward i.e. walking with them to the bathroom
Working for our organisation
As the largest single site specialist heart and chest hospital in the UK, we, at Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital, have a clear vision 'to be the best cardiothoracic integrated healthcare organisation'.
We provide specialist services in cardiothoracic surgery, cardiology, respiratory medicine both in the hospital and out in the community.
We serve a catchment area of 2.8 million people, spanning Merseyside, Cheshire, North Wales and the Isle of Man, and increasingly we receive referrals from outside these areas for highly specialised services such as aortics.
Our reputation for strong performance is important in delivering the best care for our patients and high quality clinical services. This is underpinned by a culture of research and innovation, delivered in modern estate and our encouragement of flexible working in a variety of forms.
Please visit our website - https://www.lhch.nhs.uk/
Please follow this link for a tour of our site - https://bit.ly/36ylsoq
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Place: Ward
Post Volunteer- Ward Responder/Relaxation
Responsible to: Ward Manager/Nurse in Charge
All duties should be undertaken maintaining patient’s confidentiality at all times
- Collecting medications from the pharmacy
- Making purchases on behalf of patients from hospital shop
- Assisting staff with making beds and taking linen to bags to the riser
- Helping with linen deliveries and keeping cupboard to tidy standard
- Taking medical equipment back to the library on instruction from staff
- Ensuring the continued well-being and comfort of patients whilst they are awaiting transport and giving assistance to and from transport where necessary
- Collecting/delivering messages or small items to and from departments – always following a request from a member of staff, ensuring items are placed in sealed carrier
- Acting as a ‘buddy’ for new volunteers
- Carrying bags of clothing/item to the identified ward
- Carrying bags of dirty clothing from the identified ward to the relative
- Check and Chat rounds (ward areas only) to identify patient need and offer support i.e. comfort, refreshments,
- Befriending: spending time with patients who for example: Have few visitors; Are based in side rooms; Have cognitive impairments or suffering from delirium; Have post-operative restricted movement
- Supporting patient’s during mealtime
- Distribute and collate inpatient questionnaires. Assist patients completing the questionnaires
- Distribute Listening & Learning cards to patients
- Ensure that information racks and notice boards are kept tidy and replenish stock as/when necessary
- Relaxation Volunteer
Optional training provided for those who want to support patients psychologically during their hospital stay.
- Providing emotional support for relatives and patients where required
- Providing support for patients that may feel isolated or lonely whilst in hospital
- Support with encouraging patients to engage in activities on the ward i.e. relaxation rooms, playing games, watching television
Volunteers are required to observe hand gel and infection prevention practices at all times
Person specification
Person
Essential criteria
- Being a good listener
- Friendly and approachable
- Caring
- Excellent Communication Skills
- Demonstrate Resilience and Calmness
- Being reliable and Committed
- Time to commit to Families at LHCH
Person
Desirable criteria
- Comfortable approaching people to offer help
- Able to work independently and use initiative after initial training period
- Emotionally mature and able to stay calm in difficult situations
- Adaptable
- Able to offer a regular weekly commitment for at least 6 months
- Dependable
Applicant requirements
The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Gemma Moore
- Job title
- Fundraising and Volunteer Officer
- Email address
- [email protected]
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