The NHS in Wales is in the midst of battling the COVID-19 pandemic.
Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board is seeking volunteers to support their local NHS during this exceptionally challenging time.
The BCUHB Public Volunteer scheme will not replace local groups helping their vulnerable neighbours but is an additional service provided by BCUHB.
Volunteers must be 18 or over, and fit and well with no symptoms. If you are 70 or over, the government has advised that you take extra precautions to avoid getting ill. If you are 70 or over, please ensure you only select the home-based tasks.
Your safety is our priority. Volunteers will receive guidance from trained staff. Any training needed to carry out the voluntary tasks will be provided.
The tasks you are assigned will vary, but these are some examples of what you might be asked to do:
Community or Home-based tasks
- Check-in and Chat volunteer: This role provides short-term telephone support to individuals who are at risk of loneliness as a consequence of self-isolation.
- NHS Transport volunteer: This role involves transporting equipment, supplies and/or medication between NHS services and sites, it may also involve assisting pharmacies with medication delivery.
- Patient Transport volunteer: This role supports the NHS by providing transport to patients who are medically fit for discharge, and ensuring that they are settled safely back in to their home.
- Community Response volunteer: This role involves collecting shopping, medication or other essential supplies for someone who is self-isolating, and delivering these supplies to their home.
- Home-based Administrative support volunteers: This role may involve helping with social media messaging, contacting local businesses for in-kind support or translation support, depending on your skillset and interest.
- Hospitality volunteer: This role is for second home owners or hoteliers who can provide accommodation for key workers that need to live away from high risk family members, or that need to remain near a hospital, and patient relatives who need to stay close by.
Hospital-based tasks
- Non-clinical support volunteer: This role involves general administrative or cleaning duties away from patient areas, for example supporting medical records, cleaning duties away from patient areas or supporting catering staff.
- Clinical admin support volunteer: This role involves general administrative or cleaning duties in patient areas, for example supporting medical records, cleaning duties in patient areas or supporting catering staff in patient areas.
- Patient Support volunteer: This role provides support to patients at a basic level e.g. assisting with nutrition, serving food and drinks, helping patients move around, accessing toilet facilities etc.
- Advanced Patient Support volunteer: Providing support to patients with their personal care needs under the guidance of a Health Care Assistant or Registered Nurse e.g. supporting patients to wash and dress, feeding patient, supporting with toileting needs etc
- If you do become ill, you can of course pause your volunteering.
This programme enables volunteers to provide care or to help a vulnerable person, which is permitted under the new rules announced by the Government on 23rd March 2020. Volunteers may be asked to show proof of the active task they are responding to if asked.
To register your interest in becoming a volunteer, please complete the form
Posted on 01 April 2020