Volunteering

 

Volunteering

When the Trust is actively recruiting for volunteers, the first thing that we will ask you to complete is an application form. 

We will ask you where and when you'd like to volunteer, whether that's in a community hospital, clinic, specialist centre, or even a community team.

 

So, what is volunteering? 

Volunteering is someone spending time, unpaid, doing something that aims to benefit the services provided by NHS.

Volunteers don't provide clinical care to patients. Also volunteering is not work experience nor is it a study placement.

 

Who can be a volunteer?

Our volunteers need to be aged 18 years or over. 

 

Placement of Volunteers

Where a genuine volunteer opportunity is created by a division, we try to place volunteers who best meet the need.

 

Interview

The volunteer recruitment process is competitive. If you are invited for an interview, it could be over the telephone or in person.

We will find out why you'd like to volunteer, what you can offer, and a little bit more about how you would be able to support the trust.

 

DBS Check

As part of becoming an NHS volunteer, you will be asked to complete a DBS check. This is something all staff do, and volunteers become an integral part of our team, so go through the same checks. If you have any questions about your DBS, your personal history, you will be able to discuss this with your volunteer coordinator.

To help us verify your DBS, you will need to provide a scan, or photograph of your passport or photo card driving licence and two additional forms / bills from the following list and email them all to bchc.volunteers@nhs.net. 

DBS: Forms of Verification

Current driving licence – old-style paper version can be accepted	UK
Current photo driving license	Non-UK licences must be valid for up to 12 months from the date the applicant entered the UK
Birth certificate	UK and Channel Islands
Marriage/civil partnership certificate	UK and Channel Islands
Adoption certificate	UK and Channel Islands
HM Forces ID card	UK
Firearms license	UK, Channel Islands and Isle of Man
Mortgage statement	UK or EEA	Issued in last 12 months
Bank or building society statement	UK and Channel Islands or EEA	Issued in last 3 months
Bank or building society account opening confirmation letter	UK	Issued in last 3 months
Credit card statement	UK or EEA	Issued in last 3 months
Financial statement, eg pension or endowment	UK	Issued in last 12 months
P45 or P60 statement	UK and Channel Islands	Issued in last 12 months
Council Tax statement	UK and Channel Islands	Issued in last 12 months
Work permit or visa	UK	Valid up to expiry date
Letter of sponsorship from future employment provider	For Non-UK or non-EEA only – this is valid only for applicants residing outside of the UK at time of application	Must still be valid
Utility bill	UK – not mobile telephone bill	Issued in last 3 months
Benefit statement, eg Child Benefit, Pension	UK	Issued in last 3 months
Central or local government, government agency, or local council document giving entitlement, eg from the Department for Work and Pensions, the Employment Service, HMRC	UK and Channel Islands	Issued in last 3 months
EU National ID card		Must still be valid
Cards carrying the PASS accreditation logo	UK and Channel Islands	Must still be valid
Letter from Head Teacher or College Principal	UK - for 16 to 19 year olds in full time education - only used in exceptional circumstances if other documents cannot be provided	Must still be valid

 

Occupational Health Check

To ensure that you are safe and well, and also that our patients and staff are also protected, we do an occupational health check with all of our volunteers. This helps to ensure that we know your immunisations are all up-to-date and that you will not be at risk, or pose a risk, while working in a clinical area such as a hospital ward or day room.

 

Training and Induction

Currently, our training is online and has been developed to provide volunteers with the essential training they need such as manual handling, information governance, infection prevention and control, safeguarding etc. If successful, you will be sent a training link, username and password and given some time to complete the training before being placed as a volunteer.

Finally, we will speak to the clinical team and agree who will be your volunteer placement manager. They will then be in touch to arrange a local induction.

 

 

Work Experience 

If you are a student in school, college or university, unfortunately BCHC is not currently able to provide work experience opportunities outside of the placements delivered directly through various universities for student nurses and therapists, as well as apprentices. Please send any enquiries for clinical placements to bchc.clinical.students@nhs.net.

 

Contact

If you are a student looking for a work experience placement please email bchc.clinical.students@nhs.net

If you are interested in volunteering at Birmingham Community Healthcare, and not work experience or student healthcare placements, then please send an email to: bchc.volunteers@nhs.net