Volunteer to Career Ward Support Ward 4 West Cumberland Hospital inWhitehaven inWhitehaven PUBLISHED WED 2 OCT 2024
Applicants must be over 18, eligible to work in the UK, and willing to undergo recruitment checks and training. The role involves facilitating meaningful activities for patients, especially those with dementia, and creating a supportive environment. Additionally, participants will receive preceptorship support if they transition to healthcare roles, and the program includes various employee benefits upon completion. It's important for candidates to ensure they meet eligibility criteria before applying, as those who do not will not progress in the application process.
What is the Volunteer to Career (VtC) programme?
North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust have partnered up with Inspira, who are leading employability experts providing free professional careers and advice and guidance across Cumbria to deliver the Volunteer to Career Programme. This initiative aims to address staffing shortages in the NHS by actively encouraging volunteers to pursue a career in Healthcare.
The programme is funded from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and this therefore only open to applicants who reside in the Cumberland Council boundary.
Who is eligible to apply for the VtC programme?The VtC programme is open to anyone who is interested in a career within Health and Social Care.
Volunteers should be able to commit for at least 60 hours for a minimum of 7 months, be over 18 years old, have the right to work in the UK and be ready to go through recruitment checks and training requirements. On successful completion of the programme you will be interviewed to join our Bank register as a Casual Healthcare Assistant and an opportunity to complete your Care Certificate.What is the purpose of the role?Ward volunteers provide companionship and support to patients some of whom maybe in hospital for a long period of time. As a ward volunteer you will help to provide a variety of activities for patients such as playing board games, reading or general conversation.
What tasks can this role include?
- Creating / facilitating opportunities for participation in meaningful activities.
- Enabling a person with dementia to engage with activities in a safe and enjoyable environment
- Make and engage in activities with stimulating memory boxes to encourage participation in a 1:1 setting or small groups.
- Theme memory boxes to engage using themes such as school days, holidays, hobbies and activities, work and entertainment.
- To take part in meaningful activities such as card games, dominoes, jigsaws, arts and crafts, or spend time chatting, listening to music or reading the newspaper.
Location: Whitehaven - Ward 4
About us
Please see attached job description and person specification for further information regarding the role and the essential and desirable criteria required to be met by applicants.
Please note, due to changes implemented by the Government to the UK immigration policy, individuals who require a Health and Care Visa or a Skilled Worker Visa may no longer be eligible for sponsorship where the UKVI salary threshold is not met or if the occupation is not included in the updated Immigration Salary List (ISL). Applicants must check their eligibility to be employed in any role they are interested in applying for, prior to completing an application for employment.Any applicants who do not meet the eligibility criteria will not be progressed.
If you are applying under the Disability Confident Scheme or Armed Forces Covenant and you meet all the essential criteria for a post, you will be guaranteed an interview.
Relocation assistance may be available for successful applicants moving to the region for certain posts. Please see our Policy for eligible vacancies.
The Trust will provide a preceptorship period for all newly registered healthcare professionals.
Healthcare Professionals returning to practice, moving into new roles or changing clinical environments, may access an agreed preceptorship period.
- Please ensure that you document evidence of meeting all the essential criteria in the supporting information.
- If sufficient response is received this post could be closed earlier than the specified closing date, please apply as soon as possible to ensure that your application is considered.
Important Information
Candidates who have been successfully shortlisted for interview will be asked via an email notification to log on to their Trac account to select an interview time. This will usually be within 2 weeks of the closing date.
For candidates applying using a Hotmail account or have strict firewall settings please ensure the following:
- Junk Mail is checked regularly
Disclosure and Barring Service:
On 28 November 2020, the new Disclosure and Barring Service filtering rules will come into effect.
The changes mean that:
- youth cautions, reprimands and final warnings will no longer be subject to automatic disclosure
- the multiple conviction rule has been removed, meaning that if an individual has more than one conviction, regardless of offence type or time passed, each conviction will be considered against the remaining rules individually, rather than being automatically disclosed.
If you are unsure about whether you need to disclose certain criminal record information, free confidential advice may be sought from one of the charity bodies listed below. These bodies can advise you on what you are legally required to declare and may also be able to advise you on how you can disclose criminal record information to a prospective employer and your legal rights when doing so.
Nacro Tel: , or email:
Unlock Tel: , email or complete the online form on the Unlock website
The Trust is committed to safeguarding adults and children therefore if the post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended) the successful candidate(s) will be subject to a criminal records check with the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). The cost of the DBS must be met by the successful candidate(s) through salary deduction. DBS charges are as follows if applicable to the post:
Standard Check: £18 + Administration cost of £3.85 = £21.85. Deducted at £6.85 from 1st month salary and £5 deducted from salary over following 3 months.
Enhanced Check: £38 + administration cost of £3.90 = £41.90. Deducted at £11.90 from 1st month salary and £10 deducted from salary over following 3 months.
As part of the one of the largest employers in the UK NCIC future employees will have also access to the following benefits.
A lease car may be available for this position; further details will be provided upon appointment if applicable.
27 day holiday scheme rising to 33 after 10 years
Flexible working Scheme
Excellent opportunities for development
Competitive NHS Pension scheme
Access to NHS discounts with retailers and leisure companies
EAP (Employee Assistance Programme) a free, confidential counselling and information service to assist with personal or work-related problems
These schemes are subject to availability
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