A & E Well-being Volunteer role description

The well-being volunteers are based within A&E and are under the supervision of the Therapeutic Support Programme Team at the James Cook Hospital in Middlesbrough.

The volunteers have additional training to support strategies for people with mental ill health, learning disabilities and Autism. They also support patients with either of those diagnoses who present in the emergency department, with an overall aim of improving the patients experience and journey in hospital.

Well-being Volunteers will:

• Provide emotional support to patients through companionship and verbal communication
• Provide reassurance to patients and update staff on any changes
• Support patients with mental health conditions within Accident and emergency
• Support patients with a learning disability and/or Autism
• Offer therapeutic activity or interventions to patients
• Give information to patients around the process of being seen by psyche liaison or the crisis team
• Provide confidential support for anyone requiring a listening ear
• Provide a space where people feel accepted and understood
• Build self-esteem and confidence in others whilst helping them to feel hopeful about the future
• Keep a record on daily log sheet to support data collection and evaluation of the project
• Assist staff with practical tasks such as meeting nutritional and hydration needs
• Support patients in the waiting area if suitable patient is identified by the department staff
• Transfer with a patient to a ward but a nurse must be present you cannot transfer alone
• Support patient to contact family / carer if required

For the full document including person specification please download the attached PDF.

For more role descriptions go to the Volunteer Role Library