Become a student volunteer
We are currently recruiting students as part of a new campaign for volunteer roles at the RUH.
We have a recruitment evening on 1st October 2026 at 5pm. To apply you can either call on 01225 824046 or use the short form below. You can also arrange to speak with our volunteer manager, Karen Paddock by emailing karen.paddock2@nhs.net. We’d love to hear from you!
Details about our ward volunteer roles are shown below.
Ward Volunteer Role Description
As a volunteer you will support the healthcare team with providing high quality care and support to inpatients. You will be completing identified tasks which enhance patient experience while they are an inpatient at the RUH.
General Tasks
At the beginning of the shift, you will be reporting to the senior nurse to discuss the task that they require support with. Some of these could be the following:
- Support patient with feeding during lunch time and dinner times
- Support with tea and coffee rounds
- Support with low level enhanced care needs. This is where vulnerable patients require some additional support to reduce risk of escalation, agitation and fall prevention.
- Support taking patients off the ward to visit the charity shop or enclosed gardens
- Support with taking patient’s feedback through completing FFT cards (Friends and Family Test)
- Support and engage patients into activities to reduce risk of deconditioning.
Volunteers will not be asked to support with any aspects of personal care, clinical procedures or manual handling.
Skills, experience and qualities needed:
- A patient and calm manner is essential
- Excellent communication skills
- Non-judgemental and sensitive approach
- Positive attitude
- Enthusiastic and keen to work with a broad spectrum of patients
- Reliable
- Able to work as part of a team
Support & Training
All new ward volunteers will be invited to additional training session which will cover:
- Dementia care training
- Safely pushing of wheelchairs
- De-escalating techniques
- Feeding training and Dysphasia awarenes
Friends of the RUH will provide mandatory hospital induction and training through ‘Better Impact system’. Volunteers will be given an induction plan during their first shift, and this will be reviewed with the ward’s volunteer champion after eight weeks.
Volunteers will be made aware of the Wellbeing support team and the services this offers to them.
Volunteers will be encouraged to attend Oliver McGowan training