Volunteering
Coronavirus guidance
Restrictions remain in place and inside all of our hospitals you still need to wear a mask, wash your hands and follow social distancing. Please see information for visitors > before you plan on visiting.
Volunteering
Nobody wants to visit hospital if they can help it, but our 600 volunteers make our hospitals a far better place to be.
They are the smiling faces that welcome and guide patients as they arrive at our hospitals, a friend to talk to on a ward, and an extra pair of hands to help support our busy staff.
They are an invaluable part of our Trust.
Who can volunteer?
Anyone aged 16+, in good health and with time to spare can volunteer at our hospitals.
What do volunteers do?
We offer a wide range of volunteer activities. You could be helping people find their way around our hospitals, visiting patients on wards, assisting with patient mealtimes or helping new mums with breastfeeding. See information on each hospital below for more details.
What are the benefits?
- Staff events including parties and trips
- Free hot drinks
- Uniform
- Expense claims
- A feel good factor from doing something for your community
Volunteering in our Derby hospitals
We offer volunteering opportunities at the following hospitals in Derby:
- Royal Derby Hospital
- Florence Nightingale Community Hospital
Types of volunteering roles available
Hospital volunteers
As a volunteer within our hospitals, you could get involved in a number of activities, including:
- Mealtimes
- Deliver newspapers and magazines to patients
- Meet and greet visitors to the hospital
- Help staff on wards
- Drive the distinctive yellow hospital buggy
Register your details to receive updates on the latest volunteering roles (opens in new window) >
Community volunteers
When a patient leaves hospital it can be hard to transition back into being at home. Volunteers play a big part in helping patients settle back into everyday life by going into their homes.
End-of-life volunteers
As an end-of-life volunteer, you will sit with patients and bring them some comfort. This enables friends and family to take a break and feel reassured that their loved ones are not alone. It also offers patients who don't have friends and family some companionship.
Training and support will be provided.
Student mealtime programme
If you are a student aged 16-18, you may be able to take part in our student mealtime project.
You will need to apply during July - August. Training will take place from September - December.
To apply you will need to:
- Register as an applicant, and
- Email your interest in the mealtime project: dhft.volunteer@nhs.net unless you are applying for a place though one of our partnerships with local schools/college.
How to apply to volunteer
Volunteering in our Burton hospitals
We offer volunteering opportunities at the following hospitals in Burton, Lichfield and Tamworth:
- Queens Hospital Burton
- Samuel Johnson Community Hospital
- Sir Robert Peel Hospital
Types of volunteering available
Hospital volunteers
As a volunteer within our hospitals, you could get involved in a number of activities, including:
- Patient simulation
- Supporting staff on the wards with non-clinical help
- Meet and greet visitors to the hospital
- Support pharmacy with the transport of prescribed medication
- Gain experience in our coffee shop outlet
Pharmacy volunteers
Volunteers help to support the pharmacy team with transporting the prescribed medication to the different wards. The role also enables the volunteer to help to direct and assist patients for their clinic appointments.
Patient survey volunteers
Patient survey volunteers carry out inpatient surveys which help the patient experience team to provide wards with their patient feedback scores. The role enables the volunteer to talk to patients about their experience and is good for developing communication skills and providing an insight into a patient’s journey in hospital.
Extra support and training is provided.
Apply to volunteer
To apply you will need to register as an applicant by completing our forms:
- Download our volunteer Registration Form 2019 [doc] 64KB
- Download our Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form [docx] 36KB
Please return your forms by email to simon.passam@nhs.net or by post to:
Simon Passam
Trust Voluntary Services Coordinator
Queen's Hospital Burton
Belverdere Road
Burton-on-Trent
Staffordshire
DE13 0RB
Volunteers' news
Blood, sweat and volunteers – The Big Hospital Experiment
BBC Two documentary follows a team of young volunteers, with no clinical experience, as they deal with life on the hospital frontline. A new BBC documentary will follow a group of volunteers as th...
Dedicated volunteers celebrate nearly 450 years of loyal service
UHDB has recognised the outstanding contributions of some of the volunteers that help out at our hospitals in Burton, Lichfield and Tamworth. ...
Volunteers mark more than 700 years’ service at our Derby Hospitals
VOLUNTEERS who have given more than 700 years’ service to the Royal Derby Hospital and London Road Community Hospital have been recognised in an event which celebrated their generosity and loyal...
Linda volunteering to thank NHS staff who helped save her life
A cancer survivor has spent the last decade trying to “give something back” to those that saved her life by helping out as a volunteer at Queen’s Hospital Burton. ...