Annual Report and Accounts - The Great Western Hospital

providers. Feedback obtained across 12 different professions indicates good practice in student
preparation within the Rust and local HEIs.
Experience support staff in acute and community settings were supported to successfully complete
the Foundation Degree in Health and Social Care. The knowledge, skills and attitudes acquired
allowed service areas to reassess the traditional staff skills mix to ensure service delivery which is
responsive and flexible as well as producing role models for our students and support staff.
Research and Development throughout the Trust has developed well this year with increased
recruitment into more complex studies with commercial research projects increasing from 100% to 8
with a further 4 within the set up process.
Generation of income from education clinical skills and resuscitation courses that can be reinvested
within the Trust will be in excess of £120k this year and demonstrates the growth in Trust profile
attracting nationally renowned keynote speakers such as Christine Beasley (Chief Nursing Officer).
Focussed customer service training for the Diagnostics and Outpatient directorate demonstrated fall
in service user complaints in 2011 from January to March where 7 complaints were received to April
to June where 3 complaints were received.
Undergraduate medical training provision has expanded this year to include 2 nd years students from
Bristol University. The faculty has expanded to support this with additional educational supervisor
posts to deliver the expanding requirements of undergraduate curriculum, ensuring the quality of our
future workforce.
9.8 Supporting our volunteers
The Great Western Hospital’s Foundation Trust is extremely fortunate to have so many committed
and enthusiastic volunteers. Each provides an extremely valuable service to patients and enormous
support to staff. They form an essential part of the hospital team and are greatly appreciated.
For many, volunteering is a step on the ladder to employment; an opportunity to experience the
hospital environment before going to University or having the courage to leave their current
employment to follow a long held dream of working in the NHS. Of course, many of our volunteers
stay with us for years with some having 5, 10, 15, 20 and even 25 years or more voluntary service
and each volunteer has their own personal reason for offering their time.
There remains a constant interest in “volunteering within the Great Western Hospital”, with an
average of 40 enquiries received each month. Volunteers come through the same recruitment
process as a member of staff. They are interviewed by the Voluntary Services Manager, have to
have two references, Occupational Health and CRB clearance and then meet the relevant Placement
Area Manager before attending the Trust induction and any other relevant training e.g. assisting
patients at mealtimes and bed making. This process can often take up to three months to complete.
In addition, there is the opportunity to volunteer at the hospital via other organisations, such as British
Red Cross, Hospital Radio, WRVS and the Friends of Savernake Hospital & Community.
Volunteers are called the Voluntary Services TEAM because with their assistance “Together
Everyone Achieves More”. Our volunteers now wear teal coloured polo shirts (with the exception of
Chaplaincy Volunteers, Cancer Information Point and also Breastfeeding Support volunteers who
wear lavender) which makes them stand out in their own right as a team within the hospital.
Page 153 of 211