Cambridge Breast Unit (CBU) volunteer
Patients may have to undergo a variety of investigative procedures which may take a number of hours and involve attending different locations on site. During what may be a very difficult time our volunteers provide appropriate support.
Times: Various
Uniform: Red volunteer polo shirt
Haematology Day Unit volunteer
Patients attending the Haematology Day Unit may spend all day within the unit and the majority of our patients visit the unit at regular intervals over a period of time.
We want patients, carers and families to feel welcomed, supported and comfortable, and your role will support this goal. You will serve food and drinks, provide activities, magazines and may need to escort or guide them to other areas.
In quieter moments, you might simply “hold the space”, helping to create a welcoming and supportive environment, by being quietly visible, being there when needed, and stepping back when not. At other times, you might sit with patients who are undergoing treatment providing them with a listening ear and helping to ensure their well-being. Some patients may want to talk about their experiences. The patient ages range from young adults to older people.
Times: Various
Oncology clinic and guide volunteer
Patients attending Oncology & Haematology Outpatients may need to see various specialities and clinical staff and may spend all day within the unit. The majority of our patients visit our clinic at regular intervals over a period of time. As a volunteer, you may be the first person that patients, carers and families meet on arrival to the unit. We want them to feel welcomed, supported and comfortable, and your role will support this goal. After training, the volunteer will support visitors find out where they need to be, whether booking into clinic, guiding them to the Day Unit, Radiotherapy, to other patient support services within the Trust, and supporting with Transport. Volunteers circulate around both the Oncology and Radiotherapy waiting areas, checking in with patients to make sure they have everything they need.
In quieter moments, you might simply “hold the space”, helping to create a welcoming and supportive environment, by being quietly visible, being there when needed, and stepping back when not. At other times, you might sit with patients who are waiting, providing them with a listening ear and helping to ensure their well-being. Some patients may want to talk about their experiences. The patient ages range from young adults to older people.
Times: Various
Macmillan Information and Support Service
Patients attending Oncology & Haematology Outpatients may need to see various specialities and clinical staff and may spend all day within the unit. After training, the volunteer team will support the Information & Support Service team ensure that anyone affected by cancer is able to access high quality, accurate, up-to-date information and suitable support across all stages of the cancer pathway. The volunteers will also work alongside other members of the Cancer Division Volunteer Team who are contributing to making Oncology & Haematology Outpatients a welcoming and supportive environment for cancer patients, their carers and families.
Times: Various
Major Trauma Service survey volunteer
Our Major Trauma Service team collect important data to feed into national statistics. As a PROMS volunteer you will be visiting adult patients around the hospital who have experienced major trauma to collect data on their recovery experience.
Times: Morning or afternoon
Uniform: Red volunteer polo shirt
Volunteer guides
Although our experienced guides are very skilled at finding their way around, there is always something new to learn as our hospitals continue to evolve. There’s far more to the role than way-finding, though. The reassuring sight of a friendly, helpful person ready to help as people enter the hospital can help calm anxious patients and even change the whole hospital experience for them.
Many of our guides are able to assist wheelchair users and this is a very valuable service as many of our corridors are very long! You will be based at main reception, outpatients or the Addenbrooke’s Treatment Centre (ATC) entrance and we’re looking for people who are willing to move to different areas depending on demand on the day. We’re looking for people who are friendly, cheerful, accommodating and resilient.
In 2023 CUH Trust introduced a wayfinding app ‘CUH Directions’, to help patients and visitors to use their mobile devices to navigate around the hospital. Our guides are there to help patients and visitors to download and use the app.
Times: Flexible, usually a 3-4 hour slot, between the hours of 08:00 and 16:00
Uniform: Red volunteer polo shirt with red gilet or red fleece
Ward visitor
You’ll meet a wide range of people as you move from ward to ward, interacting with individual patients. Often people just want someone to talk to, but you might be involved in playing a game or reading a book or magazine with a patient, shopping for small items from the concourse, or taking a patient to one of the garden spaces on site. Visitors also give out activity packs to help patients to pass the time. Good communication skills, confidence and adaptability are important.
Times: 14.00 – 16.00
Uniform: Apron or red volunteer polo shirt
Pets As Therapy (PAT) dogs
All our dogs have passed their temperament test and have received their certificate from Pets As Therapy – this must be achieved before the owner applies for volunteering. If you have a dog you think may be suitable, please ensure your dog completes all the requirements and is fully qualified through Pets As Therapy before applying to volunteer. You’ll find all the information you need here. We are always looking for new dogs to join our team as the PAT dogs are very popular and much in demand!
Times: 10:00 – 12:00 and 14:00 – 16:00
Uniform: Pets as Therapy t-shirt or polo shirt
Discharge Lounge volunteer
Providing social interaction in the form of conversation, activity packs or iPads, Discharge Lounge volunteers help patients pass the time before they are able to leave the hospital. After training and under direction from the nursing team, volunteers collect patients from wards and take them to the Discharge Lounge and collect TTOs from inpatient pharmacy.
Discharge Lounge volunteers are confident communicators, tactful listeners, keen observers, and emotionally resilient.
Times: Various
Uniform: Red volunteer apron
Ward volunteer
Our volunteers assist the ward staff to help make the patients’ mealtimes as enjoyable as possible. Many older patients are at high risk of dehydration and malnutrition, and volunteers can make a huge impact on this important aspect of patient well-being. Some older patients are coping with dementia and memory problems so a willingness to train in dementia awareness is important, with further training available to those who develop an interest in helping our older patients. Ward volunteers are confident communicators, tactful listeners, keen observers, and emotionally resilient.
Times: 10:30 – 13:30 and 16:30 – 18:30
Uniform: Red volunteer apron
