Mealtime support volunteer: role description

Purpose:

In our Intermediate Care Units throughout Sussex, our patients are offered short term recovery and rehabilitation. SCFT’s aim is to keep patients out of hospital where we can and supporting patients to leave hospital.

Volunteer role is to provide practical mealtime support to identified patients on our bedded units and also promote nutrition and hydration to patients.

It is essential that volunteers can take an initiative-taking approach to the role, whilst always being guided by their supervisor and wishes of the patients. We are looking for volunteers that can commit to one 2-hour shift per week for a minimum of 6 months.

Key Tasks (what you will be doing):

• To support patients at mealtimes and to promote nutrition and hydration.
• Changing and filling water jugs.
• Clear bedside table to accommodate food tray.
• Handing out hand wipes and encouraging hand washing before mealtime.
• Supporting staff to hand out the correct trays to patients.
• Providing companionship and encouragement during mealtime.
• Spotting any difficulties and providing support including opening packets, cutting food
etc. (No feeding of patients).
• Identifying any additional support needed to encourage eating.
• Collect trays from patients and ensure areas are clean and tidy, take to collection point.
• To maintain boundaries at all times.
• To maintain confidentiality at all times.
• To comply with Trust policies.
• To keep good timekeeping and show regular commitment.

The Skills you need:

• Well presented, with a friendly and approachable manner and good verbal communication skills.
• An ability to relate well to people on a one-to-one basis and be sympathetic to others’ situations.
• An ability to be patient and calm even in the face of difficult situations. Demonstrate empathy and compassion where needed.
• Punctual and dependable.
• An ability to act on own initiative within the role description.
• Punctual and dependable.
• An ability to start conversations/activities without prompting.
• A willingness to be flexible and to follow the guidance of a Placement Supervisor.
• A commitment to the trust’s Equal Opportunities and Diversity policies.
• A willingness to abide by the Sussex Community’s volunteer guidelines, including rules on Confidentiality, Health and Safety, Safeguarding Adults and Children and Manual Handling.

Requirements of the role:

Pre-placement checks, training and support:
• You must be aged 18+ to apply.
• Role is fully accessible.
• You must have a Standard DBS check for this role. We can help to arrange if not.
• Completion Occupational Health and self-declaration forms, along with a COVID-19 risk Assessment and disclaimer form. We can discuss further on application.
• Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust’s Volunteer Statutory Training.
• You will receive a local induction and orientation, including any training relevant to perform your tasks. Including a volunteer’s handbook.
• Support and direction will be offered from the Ward Manager and Ward staff.

For the full document please download the attached PDF.