The dos and donts of expanding a hospital volunteering service

The dos and donts of expanding a hospital volunteering serviceTips from Kings College hospital in London for others looking to take on more volunteers and use them in frontline roles

The NHS should not underestimate the value of volunteersWhat difference do volunteers make in hospitals?

Six UK hospitals are set to grow their army of volunteers as part of Nesta and the Cabinet Offices Helping in Hospitals programme. For hospitals looking to engage more volunteers and use them in the most impactful roles, Kings College hospital serves as a blueprint, having seen its own volunteers swell from 150 to 1,500 in a few years. Each volunteer gives 16 hours a month in a frontline role working directly with patients on wards or in waiting areas. Thats more than 200,000 volunteer hours a year.

Here are my top tips and learning points from the programme: Continue reading... The Guardian