Volunteer Buggy Driver - Patient Transport to Outpatient Clinics - Royal Shrewsbury Hospital

Summary of role

As a volunteer buggy driver role, volunteers transport patients (aged 18 and over only) and visitors within the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital using an electric buggy. This includes welcoming patients, driving safely, ensuring they reach their destination, and maintaining the buggy.

Our buggy service helps patients get from the Treatment Centre to the Outpatient department. As a buggy volunteer you offer a vital role to helping our patients and visitors with mobility issues, making it easier to access hospital services.

Nature of duties

• Driving patients on the buggy to and from the outpatient’s department to the treatment centre at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.

• Supporting patients to access the buggy, getting on and off (no manual handling).

• Undertaking visual safety checks on the buggy prior to driving.

• Driving to designated route, and ensuring rear site is relocked at the end of shifts.

• Ensuring buggy is returned to the buggy base, and placed on charge at the end of each shift

• The volunteer will transport ONE patient per journey

• This is a free service for the hospital offered by the voluntary services team solely for the benefit and use of patients (not visitors or those accompanying patients)

• This service is operated 5 days a week, depending on driver availability and is provided solely by volunteers.

• The Patient Buggy Service is subject to volunteer availability. This service does not operate on bank holidays

What skills, knowledge and experience might you gain through this role?

• Confidence and increased knowledge of a hospital

• Social skills and inter-personal skills

• An awareness and understanding of disability

• Reliable and trustworthy

• Ability to approach Patients/Visitors in a confident and caring manner

What are the benefits to you?

• An opportunity to gain experience of a hospital setting

• Develop your skills and experience

• A flexible role which can fit around your existing commitments

What support and training will be provided?

• Full Volunteer Recruitment Process

• Volunteer Induction training

• Specific training for the role

• Regular and on-going support from the Volunteer Services Team

• On going training as the role requires

A DBS check at an ENHANCED level is required for this role

We also offer Volunteer Driver opportunities for volunteers who would like to help our patients get home from hospital as quickly as possible using either their own vehicle or the hospital pool car.

What skills do I need?

Required Skills

Essential

• Full UK driving licence

• Can commit to a 4 hour volunteering shift each week - can provide one morning or afternoon per week

Desirable

• You are confident to talk to patients/families

• You enjoy chatting with people and putting them at ease

• You have excellent listening skills

• You are empathetic and non-judgemental