Different Volunteering roles

Buggy Service

The Buggy Service operates at all three hospital sites between 9am and 4pm, Monday to Friday.

We have three outdoor buggies and one indoor buggy.

We ask our volunteer buggy drivers to be available for one three-and-a half-hour session a week either morning or afternoon.

Volunteer buggy drivers need to have a full clean driving licence. You will need to complete a mandatory training package in line with Trust guidelines and an additional training session and assessment to become a registered electric vehicle driver.

Volunteer buggy drivers need to have excellent communication skills and understand the needs of patients and visitors who use the service.

This role is very customer service focused and involves transporting patients and visitors at one of the three hospital sites. This role is so beneficial to many patients and visitors alike and volunteers really do help 100s of people a year.

Gerald one of our current buggy drivers says, “I like helping people that are less fortunate than myself.”

If you feel you could become a buggy driver, please complete the registration of interest form. 

> Register your interest for Buggy Driving

Meet and Greet

Meet and Greet Volunteers support patients and visitors in finding their way around the hospital site. Meet and Greet Volunteers offer practical assistance by:

•Giving directions or accompanying patients and visitors to their destination

•Transporting patients to and from outpatient appointments by wheelchair

•Giving general information about the hospital

•Collecting prescription requests (from clinics) for the hospital pharmacy

•Deliver e-greetings to wards

•Liaise with the Buggy Service

•Distribute posters, leaflets, booklets around the hospital

Meet and Greet Volunteers are highly visible to patients and visitors within public areas of the hospital.   You need to be smart in appearance, friendly and approachable, with good communication skills to make a good first impression.
This role requires you to be mobile (we have volunteers who are wheelchair / mobility scooter users) throughout your volunteering shift as the hospital sites are large and there will be a lot of moving between different areas of the hospital. 
Becoming a Meet & Greet volunteer is a great way to give something back to the hospital whilst helping 1000s of people a year. David one of our volunteers says “I joined the volunteering team at Glenfield after spending some time in hospital myself. I wanted to give something back to everyone who helped me and volunteering lets me do this”
Below are some of the current Meet & Greet roles available:
TrustMed Pharmacy Volunteer
As a pharmacy volunteer you would be assisting within the pharmacy at Leicester Royal Infirmary. There will be a variety of tasks which you could be asked to take part in. This role is suitable for someone who can work independently and has experience in a busy environment. 

Osbourne Outpatients Clinic Volunteer 
This is based in the Osbourne outpatients’ clinic at the Leicester Royal Infirmary. The Osbourne clinic treats patients with oncology and haematology problems. You will be asked to support around the clinic and undertake general meet & greet duties. 

Fracture Clinic Volunteer
During the fracture clinic days a volunteer will support the staff and patients within the area. This will involve general meet & greet duties but would suit someone mobile as you will be requested to take patients in wheelchairs regularly. 
Volunteers will be placed in a suitable department during recruitment. 

>Register your interest for Meet & Greet roles 

Ward Based Roles

Ward Support /Mealtime Assistant

This role offers practical help and support to patients on specific wards across the three hospital sites.

In this role you can help to make patients stay in hospital a little bit easier by giving out food and drinks, making beds, filling water jugs, and taking part in activities and anything meaningful to that patient. You may be asked to run errands for patients and to be involved in talking and listening to patients.

As a ward support volunteer you will need to be flexible to move from ward to ward as requested as there are lots of patients who need your support. You will be supported by a Ward Support Coordinator or a ward support volunteer until you are familiar with the wards and you feel comfortable to go it alone.

For this role you would need to be available for one morning or afternoon session between 9:30am and 4pm, Monday to Friday. We ask ward volunteers to complete mandatory training also role specific training before going onto the wards.

This role requires a good level of confidence and communication. For this role it would be an advantage to have experience of working or volunteering on a hospital ward, in a care home or in the community caring for people.

Hairdressing

As a hairdressing volunteer you would work as part of a team to offer basic hairdressing services to patients such as washing and styling hair. Our hairdressing services make a real difference to those patients who are unable to wash their own hair whilst in hospital. This role would suit someone who is interested in enhancing the well-being of patients and who has an interest in hairdressing/beauty. Although qualified hairdressers are encouraged to apply, qualifications are not necessary as training will be given

Patient Visiting

Do you enjoy chatting to people? Then Patient Visiting is the perfect role for you! Our Patient Visitor Volunteers visit patients on wards, offering them company and a listening ear. Patient Visitors can be a lifeline to patients who don’t have many visitors

Library Service

As a library volunteer you will work with a team of other volunteers, to deliver books magazines and activity packs to patients across many different wards. This role is well-suited to people who like reading, enjoy a “hands on” role and would like the opportunity to interact with lots of patients. 

Learning Disability Support

Volunteers in this role support adult patients with learning disabilities. You might spend time chatting to patients or supporting them to engage in meaningful activities. Volunteers are supported by the Learning Disability Nurses. This role is available at Leicester Royal Infirmary.

>  Register your interest for ward based roles (Temporarily Closed)

Emergency Department

Our Emergency Department Waiting Rooms are busy areas, with many walk-in patients arriving throughout the day. Volunteers in this role offer a friendly welcome when patients arrive and can direct patients to other areas of the emergency departments. They can assist patients in wheelchairs when needed. Volunteers also help to keep the waiting rooms tidy and make drinks for patients. As an Emergency Department Volunteer you would be based in either our Adult’s or Children’s Emergency Department.

Our EDs can be busy and unpredictable so we ask that you have a good level of relevant life or work experience to volunteer in this role. If you would like to volunteer in our Children’s Emergency Department, we ask that you have previous experience caring for children or working with children/young people. This is to ensure that you do not feel out of your depth when you start volunteering.

>Register your interest for Emergency Department Support (closed)