Hospital Aftercare Volunteer

Volunteer role:Hospital Aftercare Volunteer

Responsible to:Senior Hospital to Home Coordinator

Time commitment: Flexible days and times. Attendance of volunteer support meetings. All our volunteer roles are from Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm. We are closed at weekends, public holidays and over the Christmas period.

Location: At various locations across Bromley.

Bromley Well: Age UK Bromley and Greenwich working in partnership with Bromley Well, supporting health, wellbeing, and independence. Bromley Well is an integrated service that provides support for Bromley residents to improve their general health, wellbeing, and independence and to help prevent them from falling into crisis.

Hospital Aftercare Service: The Hospital Aftercare Service supports people over 50+ living in Bromley who were recently discharged from hospital. Our aim is to support older people to work towards self-selected goals enabling them to regain their confidence and independence in their home environment.  

Role Summary: Helping older people who have recently been discharged from the hospital and require support through companionship or shopping.

What will I be involved in?

• Helping older people who have recently been discharged from hospital and require support through companionship or shopping. We provide you with a shopping card and receipt book.
• Once you have been matched with the client, the coordinator will send you a shopping list before the agreed visit and you will need to get receipts for the shopping.
• Discuss with the client their shopping needs and go through their shop with them, making sure that the client has the specified the brands they like.
• Be observant to your client’s needs and do actively keep in regular contact with the Senior Hospital to Home Coordinator, reporting any concerns, pass on requests for help or referral needs.
• After each visit send an email with a short update on the visit and a copy of any shopping receipts. This provides us with vital communication of how each visit is progressing. It helps us to highlight the work we do and can be used for case studies and reporting.
• Successfully complete online training courses for Age UK Bromley and Greenwich volunteers.
• Participate in volunteer support meetings and any training on safeguarding adults and appropriate boundaries.
• At all times work in accordance with the organisation’s policies regarding Health & Safety, Equality & Diversity, Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults and Confidentiality & Data Protection. Lone working.
• Represent the professional standards of Age UK Bromley and Greenwich and ensure that you wear your volunteer id badge whilst volunteering.

What skills and qualities will I need to have?

• Enjoys spending time with and talking with people aged 50+ from a wide range of backgrounds.
• Be a good listener and have empathy with people, being approachable and welcoming.
• Interested in learning and developing new skills required of the role.
• Demonstrate that you are interested in what the client has to say by communicating respect and warmth.
• Listens to the person’s tone of voice and expression, as well as their words.
• Have a non-judgmental approach. The listener may personally disagree with the client’s opinions or actions but attempts to understand the client’s point of view and shows that they still value the client.
• Being able to maintain client confidentiality, understand the importance of keeping within the parameters of the role and have a good understanding of GDPR and Data Protection

Benefits of getting involved:

• Being part of a team who are passionate about helping Bromley residents 50 years +
• Committed to supporting the Hospital Aftercare Service.
• Ongoing support and role training with feedback given.
• Opportunities for networking with other volunteers and being part of a wider volunteer team.
• Awareness of Age UK Bromley and Greenwich social events, services, and projects.

Other information: Prospective volunteers will complete a recruitment process and be required to provide details of two references and agree to submit details for and undertake an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Services (DBS) check. All our volunteer roles are 18+, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. Age UK Bromley & Greenwich will reimburse all expenditure reasonably incurred. Receipts to be provided with expenditure claims.