Volunteers are needed to provide support on critical care and respiratory wards to help staff in turning and positioning (not lifting) of patients at the Mid and South Essex Hospitals.

Approximately 40 volunteers are needed to work across the hospital sites to cover shifts 24 hours a day.

Please share this request with partners and voluntary services with contacts who have “hands on” experience with people, for example St Johns, Red Cross, Fire Service or Police as volunteers will be working on the wards helping turning and repositioning patients.

Tasks:

·          Work within a hospital

·          Support caring for patients who are COVID-19 positive

·          Work under direction of ward team / critical care unit team

·          Work with others to enhance the ward- based / critical care based staff to turn or roll patients to reduce their risk of complications

·          Receive initial training

Person:

·          Volunteers who have a degree of physical fitness to manually turn or move patients (not lifting)

·          Need to be able to commit to a minimum of 4 hours per day

·          Can travel to any of the three hospital sites (Broomfield, Basildon, Southend) –  there will be no cost for parking

·          Sensible, closed toe, flat footwear should be worn – this will not be provided

Support:

·          Volunteers will be provided appropriate PPE and appropriate training will be given.  It should be noted that facial hair can interfere with the correct fitting of FFP3 masks.

·          Scrubs (the clothing worn on wards) and on site changing facilities will be provided.

·          Volunteers will be expected to comply with good infection control standards – information will be provided but for example will include no jewellery (except a plain wedding band is allowed) and long hair must be tied back/up.

·          Ideally individuals will be “paired” up to enable them to work together.

·          Refreshments – are provided and meals are available at reduced costs in staff restaurant.

Training and Risk Assessments:

·          All volunteers will be required to complete a COVID-19 risk assessment

·          Undertake basic manual handling and infection control training

·          An induction and support will be provided for the clinical environment

Point of contact:

Volunteers should email their preferred hospital (Basildon, Broomfield or Southend) using one of the addresses below adding “Turning volunteer for attention of nursing staff” in the subject line.

Please send in your contact details and when you are available.  The following is a guide.

Name:

Contact telephone number:

Days of the week and hours of the day you could offer:

Any periods of time you are not available:

Summary of your experience:  e.g  I am a St John’s Ambulance volunteer or I am a police officer.