Ward Based Volunteer - Aintree Site, Liverpool

Ward Based Volunteer - Aintree Site

The closing date is 29 May 2026

Liverpool University Hospitals Foundation Trust is looking to recruit volunteers in various roles in order to enhance patient experience and support staff. We are looking for volunteers at Aintree Hospital.

Attributes

• Ability to communicate with all groups of people.
• Helpful and accommodating manner.
• Sensitive, compassionate and tactful nature.
• Ability to give clear and concise directions.
• Able to work on own or as part of a team.
• Work in collaboration with the ward staff and other volunteers.
• Work within the role and organisational boundaries.
• Can provide a minimum of 3 hours per week for a minimum of 6 months.
• Volunteers must be aged 18 and over to volunteer on the ward.

Main duties of the job

Volunteers will be expected to adhere to trust policies and procedures especially relating to Infection Prevention and Control.

Below are some of the main duties for our volunteer roles.

Ward Volunteer

• Help improve patient experience by providing a friendly welcome, emotional support, reassurance and companionship to patients and their families.
• Providing support, companionship and appropriate activities for patients with Dementia or Learning Disabilities.
• Assisting in preparing patients for mealtimes and helping with menu choices.
• Assisting patients with eating and drinking and providing refreshments to patients.
• Completing basic tasks and assisting patients within the Volunteer Role Boundaries (attached).
• Running errands for patients to purchase newspapers, magazines, snacks as required.
• Reading to patients, playing games, completing jigsaws and puzzles.
• Tidying and restocking the information racks and notice boards with appropriate resources under the guidance of the Ward Manager.
• Acting as an alerter to elevate any concerns or issues to the Nursing Team.

Job responsibilities

• Help improve patient experience by providing a friendly welcome, emotional support, reassurance and companionship to patients and their families.
• Providing support, companionship and appropriate activities for patients with Dementia or Learning Disabilities.
• Assisting in preparing patients for mealtimes and helping with menu choices.
• Assisting patients with eating and drinking and providing refreshments to patients.
• Feeding of patients who need additional support (only after specific training has been given).
• Taking a pack of patient experience surveys to your ward area from the Volunteer Services Office for you to complete surveys with patients to collect data and feedback on the patients experience while they have been in hospital.
• Completing basic tasks and assisting patients within the Volunteer Role Boundaries (attached).
• Running errands for patients to purchase newspapers, magazines, snacks as required.
• Tidying the patients bed space (locker tops/tables) to ensure they are clean and tidy.
• Contacting family to arrange for toiletries to be brought into hospital for the patient.
• Reading to patients, playing games, completing jigsaws and puzzles.
• Tidying and restocking the information racks and notice boards with appropriate resources under the guidance of the Ward Manager.
• Acting as an alerter to elevate any concerns or issues to the Nursing Team.

Person Specification Skills

• Good interpersonal skills. The ability to be welcoming, friendly, polite and caring with all patients, visitors and Trust staff. To be sensitive, compassionate and have a tactful nature.
• Good communication skills. Be a good listener and be able to work in collaboration with the ward staff and other volunteers.
• Ward Volunteers need to be reliable, honest and punctual and work within their role boundaries.

Experience

• Previous volunteering or experience of working in a health or social care environment is not required for this role, although any relevant life experiences should be detailed on the application.

Other

• To embody the Trust Values.
• To exercise confidentiality and discretion.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust