VOLUNTEERING IN GP PRACTICES
We are recruiting Volunteer Coordinators to support patients and local residents to work in nine GP practices across the borough. They will provide a new resource to practices, helping them be resilient, sustainable and inclusive.
A Volunteer Coordinator – fully funded by the City and Hackney Clinical Commissioning Group – will work with at least 40 patients and local residents per practice to support them to develop and fulfil vital volunteer roles such as calling patients to remind them to attend appointments or running their own health and fitness group.
The programme will support patients to build peer relationships, learning to better manage their condition, will reduce non attendances; while helping practice staff with their workload.
A few examples of such activities could include:
- Weekly coffee morning delivered at the GP surgery, for patients to just talk, and form friendships.
- Peer support groups e.g. a menopause support group or a local drop-in for carers and their cared for.
- Volunteers to play with children in the waiting room e.g. “story time” or arts and crafts activities.
- Volunteer befrienders to visit isolated patients, and help them attend surgery appointments.
- Volunteer “health champions” to spread health messages.
- Administration support to complete forms, send out reminder letters, or make follow-up calls.
What support will be provided?
Volunteer Centre Hackney will provide delivery staff, management support, and training for volunteers. They will also provide small project grants for patients who want to run their own activities.
Delivery Timetable
The programme will be delivered on a rolling basis, starting with 3 GP surgeries – from 3 different Primary Care Networks – in January, with a further 3 GP surgeries joining in October. Another 3 GP surgeries will join nine months later, in July.
For more information, email lauren@vchackney.org; tel: 020 7241 4443 ext 2001.
FUNDERS
City and Hackney Clinical Commissioning Group
PARTNERS
We will be working closely with the Primary Care Networks, local GPs, Patient Participation Groups, and local Neighbourhoods, as well as local community groups and services.