Voluntary Services provide a valuable resource in enhancing total patient care. Volunteers give practical help and support to patients and visitors and complement the work of paid staff within the Trust. For people who are retired or unemployed and have time free volunteering gives an opportunity to meet people, share and learn new skills and help others. Volunteering may provide helpful experience to young people considering a career in the NHS and a number of our volunteers go on to study medicine, nursing, or gain other employment within Health & Social care. Our minimum age for volunteering is 17 years and for many of our placements you will need to be at least 18 years or over. You will need to be able to offer a regular commitment usually on the same day each week for preferably 12 months or more.

Services

Volunteers make a considerable contribution to the facilities and support available to patients, including:-

• Welcome reception & escort volunteers
• Mobile libraries for patients
• Trolley shops
• Ward volunteers
• Outpatient clinic volunteers
• Chaplaincy visitors
• Benefits information
• Fundraising
• Pets as therapy
• Hospital Radio
• Cancer Information Centre
• Complementary therapies.

Some services may have a full complement of volunteers and we will be able to discuss what volunteer vacancies we have if you contact us.

Why Volunteer?

Volunteers’ reasons for volunteering their services freely on a regular, committed basis include:-

• ‘Job’ satisfaction, meeting people and making new friends.
• To help others and ‘give something back to the NHS’.
• To gain experience for future careers and improve job prospects.
• To become an active member of the community.

Further Information

If you would like more information about Leeds Teaching Hospitals Voluntary Services please contact the Voluntary Services Department on 0113 3923861 / 0113 2065888.

Applications for voluntary work

We welcome people from a wide range of backgrounds and experience interested in joining our volunteer teams.  We are particularly keen to recruit more volunteers from ethnic minority communities.  If you are interest in joining us for an application form please contact the Voluntary Services department, St.James’s University Hospital, Beckett Street, Leeds, LS9 7TF, or click here to download an application form. 

Voluntary Services Photographs

Pets as Therapy	Complementary Therapies in the Robert Ogden Cancer Centre at St. James's	Library Trolley Services
Sweets & Newspaper Trolley at the LGI	Children's School volunteers	Volunteer Long Service Awards ( 10 & 20 years service plus)
Cosmetic Camouflage	Ward Volunteer	Hospital Radio
Welcome Service	Outpatients Volunteer	Helping to direct and escort visitors and patients