http://www.stchristophers.org.uk/ This link will open a new window.

As a Patient and Visitor Support Volunteer, you will be one of the first point of contacts for all visitors coming to St Christopher’s, playing a pivotal role in the smooth day-to-day running of the hospice.
You will support the team of receptionists by providing a warm, friendly and welcoming experience. Helping to take patients and visitors to the right person, location or department and providing information and assistance as needed.

What you may be involved in as part of this volunteer role
• Welcoming everyone that comes into reception in a reassuring and friendly manner, ensuring people have a positive impression of St Christopher’s.
• On occasion meeting people in the car park if required.
• Ensuring everyone signs in correctly
• Seeking clarification with reception and ward staff regarding visitors to the wards.
• Guiding people to the Anniversary Café (AC) or to chairs in reception to wait for their clinician/therapist as appropriate
• Escorting visitors to the right person, location and/or department
• Providing company, conversation and light emotional support as required.
• Supporting if people need help with purchasing food or drink or need directions to the toilets, gardens etc.
• Passing on feedback, concerns or complaints to the reception staff
• Maintaining an awareness of people sitting in the AC, advising reception if someone has been waiting a long time
• Helping, on request of reception staff, with the completion of How Are You forms.
• Helping maintain the leaflets in the reception/AC area, restocking as required.
• Any other reasonable tasks or activity which support patients and visitors to have a good experience at the hospice


What you will not be involved in
• Any clinical duties.
• Helping people use the toilet.
• Movement or administration of oxygen to people.
• Putting or bringing any food or drink of any kind to people’s mouths using utensils, cups, straws or any other means.
• Advising people when someone has died.


What you can gain from this role
• Develop or enhance communication skills
• Learn more about the role of the hospice and its services
• Being part of an enthusiastic team, meeting new people and get more involved in your local community
• Using and develop your skills, enhancing your CV if that is important to you
• Know you are helping dying people in your local community have access to care and support, as and when they need it.
We are looking for people who are
• Happy to be part of the front of house team, representing St Christopher’s to everyone that visits.
• Approachable, confident and friendly, able to get on well with people of different abilities and backgrounds.
• Good communicators and listeners, able to make conversation easily with new people but also able to identify when silence or space is needed.
• Comfortable with the active nature of this role, as you move around the building
• Understanding of the importance of maintaining confidentiality and boundaries
• Emotionally resilient in the face of difficult circumstances that face people at the end of life
• Able to follow our policies and procedures to keep everyone safe
• Able to represent St Christopher’s and our values positively.