Palliative Care Befriender Volunteer

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28th March 2022

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Thank you to Nuria De Miguel Volunteer Services Manager at Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust for sharing this volunteer role description.

Palliative Care Befriender Volunteer

The South Camden and Islington Palliative Care Team provide specialist care to patients with life-limiting illness in their own homes. We support patients, their families and those close to them to manage the symptoms of serious illness, to make decisions about their care and support in the future and to maximise quality of life at this time.

We are looking for someone who will provide some practical help, social support and connection and companionship to our most vulnerable and isolated patients and those close to them.

COMMITMENT AND LOCATION

Very flexible, at a mutually agreed time, for approximately 2-4 hours on any day of the week. Patients may live in Camden Local Authority and surrounding areas.

KEY TASKS
  • Provide practical help to the patient and their carer, such as light shopping, errands

  • Support the patient with medication or equipment collection

  • Offer company and chat with our patients and carers

  • Sitting with patients to allow the primary carer to leave the house for appointments/ shopping

  • Linking patients and carers who may be socially isolated with groups, resources and groups in the community

  • Feeding back to the clinical team any concerns or worries you have

  • Delivering/ collecting Syringe Drivers from patients’ home

KEY TRAITS, SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE
  • Reliability: to be someone we can rely on - consistent and dependable

  • Resilience: you will be in touch with people who are nearing the ends of their life and can be quite isolated

  • Empathetic, compassionate, patient, tolerant and considerate

  • Good conversational and listening skills with a caring nature

  • The ability to work independently whilst staying within the role’s boundaries, recognising what should and shouldn’t be done, when to seek advice or report concerns.

WHAT IS IN THERE FOR YOU?
  • The satisfaction of connecting with people at this time in their life and understanding and sharing their experiences

  • Providing tangible, practical help to people at these times, and seeing the impact this can have

  • The opportunity to help the NHS in a time of growing pressure

  • Becoming part of the wider multidisciplinary palliative care team

  • The opportunity to learn and develop skills and attributes such as communication skills, team working, reflection, building your resilience, understanding serious and chronic illness

  • The opportunity to meet and connect with other volunteers with a shared passion and motivation

  • Full support and a range of relevant training, including Confidentiality, Safeguarding and Equality and Diversity

  • Local Trust induction and orientation

  • A reference for future volunteering or employment, after 6 months

  • Following our expenses policy, reimbursement of agreed expenses

For the full document please download the attached PDF