We all know the NHS is struggling – you can help (and help your job prospects at the same time). The volunteering community in York does fantastic work through RAG events and in schools and care homes across the city. Perhaps you will view my alternative option as the least glamorous and most laborious of all the options. However, I believe it is a worthwhile way to give something back to York.
This winter the media has been full of horror stories about overflowing hospitals, patients waiting hours to be admitted and others ready to leave but with nowhere to go. Nurses and doctors are under tremendous pressure trying to cope with more and more highly dependent patients – as our population ages and people with multiple and complex conditions increases.
As young, largely healthy, students this may seem pretty uninteresting, but it could be your parents or grandparents that are next to experience some of the less attractive side effects of this surge in demand for healthcare. It might even be you.
Whilst we cannot do the jobs of nurses and doctors – there is a small but vital body of volunteers in hospitals that do an amazing job making the lives of staff, patients and visitors a bit more bearable.
Our own York Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is currently developing a number of new volunteering opportunities to enhance the experience of patients and their relatives to hopefully ease the pressure on frontline staff.
There are a variety of roles that can be performed by volunteers and the Trust is keen to reach out to younger people in the community. Here are a few examples of the roles available. Firstly, dining companion. Many elderly patients need encouragement to eat and drink, and at busy times it can be difficult for staff to spend enough time with each patient. This is a vital role as good nutrition is as much a part of treatment and recovery as the medicine.
Secondly, ward visitor. More and more people live alone these days and patients without friends or family can find visiting times particularly lonely. Just having someone to talk to now and again can provide them with a real boost to morale and recovery.
Thirdly, welcomer. Hospitals can be very confusing places to get around. Volunteers at the hospital reception areas can reduce stress of a strange environment for patients and visitors and help them to get to the right part of the building with minimal fuss. Other roles are focused in specific units such as emergency, chemotherapy and radiology.
Whilst your efforts may not stop people waiting in A&E (although there could be knock-on benefits from faster recovery times) it will give the patients a more user friendly experience and give staff a much needed boost to their resources.
“And what’s in it for me” I hear you cry. Well, if we have to have a selfish motive for doing good works then there is much to be said for having volunteering experience. Volunteering is good for self-esteem, improves your social and communication skills and looks great on your CV. You also get to try your hand at filling out a job application form and going for an interview.
I appreciate the stigma that may surround volunteering in a local hospital. However, I believe it is a truly rewarding endeavour with the opportunity to meet many new and interesting people, perhaps brightening both their day and your own.
The reason that I am particularly highlighting this volunteering scheme is because of the vast array of benefits it can provide. The NHS website points out that working in a hospital makes you increasingly well-prepared for dealing with your own illnesses. The character built through working in a care-giving role can improve your relationships with family and friends as you develop a renewed sense of perspective of your own privileges.
Working in an environment surrounded by ill-health can also provide you with a new outlook on your own health. Whether it be a desire for improvement or an eye-opening experience that makes you reflect on the risks you take with your body. Self-esteem alongside a new found confidence particularly in social interaction are also potential benefits.
The University of Wales, Lempeter produced a study suggesting that as well as the benefits to yourself, there is an increase in the health of patients in general from the obvious benefit of having more hands on deck. Life expectancy for those in hospices can also increase.
The NHS website also contains information about volunteering with mental health patients and patients with learning disabilities. Diane Bown specialises in running groups for people with mental health and learning disabilities.
She says: “About 40% of our volunteers have their own mental health issues. It can do so much good for somebody’s self-confidence and feelings of self-worth.” This is not just a standard volunteering opportunity, there is something humbling and rewarding about this scheme that can genuinely change your perceptions.
Recruiting for 2015/16 starts on the 1st March, with positions for the 2014/15 slots all being filled showing the demand for this sort of experience. I have no doubt it will in parts be tough work but I encourage anyone who likes a good chinwag to embrace a potentially very rewarding experience.
If you are interested in joining York NHS FT Volunteers then just contact Jess Munday at York Hospital – tel: 01904 724520 email: [email protected]