Volunteer for Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

If you want to put your free time to good use, volunteer for us.

We serve a population of nearly 600,000 people across Hampshire and West Berkshire and we rely on a team of wonderful volunteers to assist us in our work. We currently have more than 500 volunteers working across our three hospitals, in the Countess of Brecknock Hospice and in the community. We are grateful to each one of them for helping us to give our patients the best possible experience. From directing people around our facilities to delivering newspapers on the wards and keeping patients’ spirits up with a beside chat, our volunteers are making a huge difference, every day. If you would like to be welcomed into our friendly team, and spend your free time helping others, we would love to hear from you.

Why volunteer?

Volunteering is an opportunity to make a difference, to give something back and enjoy new experiences. People volunteer for a variety of reasons, including:

Wanting to make a difference by helping others
Supporting their local hospital
Meeting new people and being part of a team
Using and developing their skills and experience

Examples of volunteer roles

Meet and greet in outpatients/reception
Assisting at meal times on the wards
Helping patients find information about illnesses, treatment or support at the Health Information Point
Maternity/birthing unit support
Patient visiting/ befriending
Hospice day care / ward /reception
Cardiac rehabilitation programme
Audiology /hearing aid clinic
Hospital Radio
Chaplaincy service
Dementia support
Befriending in the hospital and community
‘Get up and go’ mobility volunteers
‘End of Life’ ward volunteers

Who can volunteer?

Our volunteer force is as diverse as the patients we care for. Our volunteers are aged from 17 upwards, with a variety of skills and experience. The image shows our catchment area.

Although we are very flexible, volunteers need to be able to commit to two to three hours a week for a minimum of six months. You will need to complete an application form and attend an informal interview.

Volunteers are required to provide references, complete basic health checks and undergo a DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check. Volunteers are also required to complete an induction programme and undertake any additional training as required for the role.

Volunteers under 18 years must have the written permission of a parent/guardian.

Volunteering is not the same as work experience and does not include shadowing, clinical observations or short-term placements. If you are interested in work experience please visit our Work Experience page.

Hear what some of our team have to say…

“My manager is very proactive with our training and encourages our development and learning.”

“I love talking to patients, I could talk for days – I always get called a chatter box! When a patient is worried or anxious, I try to help and calm them down by talking to them. I’m currently training someone, which I never thought I would do. I love it because it means my team trust me to share my wisdom with someone new!”

“I have been here for twelve years and I particularly like the supportive environment - there is always someone to ask and someone to talk to.”

“I was attracted to the area because of what I heard about the surroundings and how close to London you are. I took the opportunity to move away from home, broaden my horizons and progress my career.”

“The hospital accommodation at Basingstoke is a couple of minutes walk from the hospital. Things like broadband, electricity and water are all included in the rent and there is a laundry – you don’t have to worry about anything and the staff are really helpful.”

“We’ve got a good reputation, we give good quality care and we work as a team.”

“We are dynamic and we want to lead from the front. You learn a lot when you are here. It’s first class.”