Volunteer and Work Experience Policy - Devon Partnership NHS Trust

Volunteer and Work Experience Policy
Policy: HR46
This policy provides guidance and advice on the recruitment and ongoing
supervision of volunteers and work experience students
Do you need this document in a different format
Contact PALS – 0800 0730741 or email dpn-tr.pals@nhs.net
If you require further help in the interpretation of this policy please contact the
HR Helpdesk on 01392 663915.
If this document has been printed please note that it may not be the most up-to-date
version. For current guidance please refer to the Trust Website.
Document Control
Policy Ref No & Title:
Version:
HR46
V3
Replaces / dated: Previous policy dated Jan 12
Author(s) Names / Job Title
responsible / email:
Ratifying committee:
Director / Sponsor:
Primary Readers:
Zoe Hardy, HR Officer
Zoe.hardy@nhs.net
Local Partnership Forum
Darran Armitage, Deputy Director of Workforce.
All Staff Covered By Agenda for Change
Additional Readers
Date ratified: 16 th January 2013
Date issued: January 2013
Date for review: 16 th January 2015
Date archived:
NHSLA Standards reflected:
Other Relevant Standards met
NA
NHS Employment Check Standards
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Contents
1. Introduction ................................................................................................................ 3
2. Purpose ...................................................................................................................... 3
3. Aims and Objectives .................................................................................................. 3
4. Practice Guidelines .................................................................................................... 4
5. Recruitment ................................................................................................................ 4
6. NHS Employers Standards ....................................................................................... 5
7. Confidentiality ............................................................................................................ 5
8. Criminal records ........................................................................................................ 6
9. Induction and Training .............................................................................................. 6
10. Supervision ................................................................................................................ 6
11. Sickness ..................................................................................................................... 7
12. Roles and Responsibilities ....................................................................................... 7
13. Record keeping and evaluation ................................................................................ 8
Appendix 1 - Recruitment of Volunteers .......................................................................... 9
Appendix 2 - Recruitment of Work Experience Students ............................................. 10
Appendix 3 - Confidentiality............................................................................................ 11
Appendix 4 - Managers Guidance - Volunteers and Criminal Records checks .......... 12
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1. Introduction
1.1. Devon Partnership NHS Trust is the major provider of mental health, substance misuse and
learning disability services in Devon and serves a population of approximately 862,000
people. It works in partnership with Devon County Council and Torbay Council to provide an
integrated health and social care service for:
children and young people
adults
older people
people with drug and alcohol misuse problems
people with learning disabilities
people who need forensic and secure mental health services
2. Purpose
2.1. The purpose of this policy document is to:
Confirm Devon Partnership Trusts commitment to involving volunteers and offering work
experience
Recognise the contribution volunteers make to the Trust
Provide a basis for the expansion of volunteer and work experience involvement
Provide overall support, guidance and direction to staff and volunteers
Establish the values and standards of the Trust in its involvement with volunteers / work
experience students
Ensure decisions are made fairly
Clarify volunteer rights and status
Clarify the boundaries between staff, volunteers and work experience students
Help to ensure the ongoing quality of both the volunteering / work experience
opportunities on offer and the activities carried out by volunteers.
Set out the practical considerations for the delivery of work experience and the
structures and processes required to support the delivery of the proposed opportunities.
2.2. Volunteers will supplement the service provided rather than supplant the work of employees.
They will not be asked to carry out activities of such a nature as to deprive employees of any
component of their work that would compromise their career development or job satisfaction.
2.3. The Trust believes our relationship with our volunteers is one of mutual responsibility and
commitment, within which the Trust and volunteers both have rights and responsibilities. We
hope that volunteers will enjoy their time with us and gain from it in terms of their own
personal development.
3. Aims and Objectives
3.1. The organisation is committed to providing a work experience or volunteering opportunity for
as many individuals as possible within the policy guidelines. To achieve this it is necessary to
define the programmes - work experience and volunteering.
3.2. Work Experience Annual Programme - Is aimed at school age applicants mainly years 10
and 11, aged up to age 18. This is a generic rotational programme to gain work experience
e.g. admin, IT, HR etc outside of the clinical areas such as wards etc. This will be run
annually, where possible, for up to 5 placement students for 1 week.
3.3. Work Experience – Ad-hoc requests for placements for up to 2 weeks where the manager
agrees to supervise the student at all times. Students under 18 years of age are not
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permitted in clinical areas of the Trust. Placements can be in clinical areas for those over 18
years of age.
3.4. Volunteering – A volunteer is anyone who without recompense performs an activity at the
direction and on behalf of the Trust on a longer term basis e.g. generally over 2 weeks.
Volunteers may be involved in a range of activities and can work alone provided they have
the appropriate checks complete e.g. CRB. This can include students on placement, or
anyone who wants to give their time e.g. clinical psychology students or service users and
carers involved in Trust activities as volunteers. This will be on an ad hoc basis and the Trust
will try and accommodate all requests where possible. Placement length will be at
manager’s discretion and will be reviewed every 6 months.
4. Practice Guidelines
4.1. The following guidelines deal with practical aspects of the involvement of volunteers and
work experience students. More detailed information, including copies of the various related
policy documents, can be obtained from the Intranet or from Employment Services.
4.2. In line with the management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, Regulation 19
(2)(a), to reduce the risk of exposure to violent or aggressive behaviour the Trust does not
offer work experience or volunteering opportunities to anyone under the age of 18 in
clinical areas of the Trust.
4.3. All volunteers / work experience students will be issued with an honorary contract - This is
not a contract of employment. They cover the responsibilities of the Trust towards
volunteers / work experience students and the role of volunteers / work experience students
towards the Trust. They include:
Conduct; (Dress code, Acceptable Behaviour Policy etc.)
Location;(and information about what the Trust does)
Induction & training;
Supervision;
Health & Safety issues
4.4. All expenses incurred are the responsibility of the volunteer unless local arrangements have
been agreed e.g. travel expenses for volunteer counsellors or service users providing
voluntary activity.
4.5. All volunteers are covered by the Trust’s insurance policies whilst they are on the premises
or engaged in any placements on The Trust’s behalf. Volunteers are covered by the Trusts
NHS Litigation Authority Scheme which covers Clinical Negligence, Employment Liability,
Public Liability and Damage to Trust Property.
4.6. No area would be asked to facilitate the placement for more than one work experience
student or volunteer at any time. Any area can decline to facilitate a student if their workload
is high or if the manager considers that there is a specific clinical reason why it would not be
appropriate to facilitate a student placement.
5. Recruitment
5.1. The Trust will recruit volunteers and work experience students in a professional manner and
on a pro-active basis, with the intent on broadening and expanding community involvement.
Volunteers will be recruited without discrimination in line with the Trust’s Equal Opportunities
Policy and Single Equality Scheme. The principle behind recruitment and selection will be the
individual’s suitability to perform the designated assignment. The following principles apply:
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Volunteers and work experience students can be recruited from various sources,
including: Schools, word of mouth, recruitment events and agencies, newspaper ads,
local community groups, and the NHS Jobs website
Role descriptions will be produced for each volunteer assignment
Each candidate will be asked to complete a volunteer / work experience application
form.
Candidates matched to placements will be given an informal interview conducted by the
placement contact/mentor
In placing a volunteer in a position, attention shall be paid to the interests and
capabilities of the volunteer and to the requirements of the voluntary activity. No
placement shall be made unless the requirements of both the volunteer and the
supervising staff can be met
Trial periods will be undertaken if necessary, the length of which will be at the discretion
of the contact/mentor and agreed with the volunteer at the recruitment stage.
Work Experience Programme - is a generic and a structured, supervised timetable for
the week where students rotate around non clinical departments to get an overall
experience.
6. NHS Employers Standards
6.1. NHS Employers has developed standards along with the Department of Health and
employers in the NHS. The standards include those checks that are required by law, those
that are Department of Health Policy and those that are required for access to the NHS Care
Record Service.
6.2. NHS Employment Standards are also mandatory for volunteers, students and trainees. The
following checks must be completed before a volunteer placement can commence.
Identity Verification
Address Verification
Eligibility to work
References
Occupation Health Assessment
Model Declaration completed if CRB check applies
CRB check (when placement meets criteria see HR 48 CRB checks)
6.3. Please see Appendix 1 for guidance on starting volunteers and Appendix 2 for work
experience students.
7. Confidentiality
7.1. The confidentiality of our clients and staff is of paramount importance to the organisation.
Therefore, all students undertaking a volunteer or work experience placement will sign a
confidentiality agreement (Appendix 3) . By signing this agreement the student is stating that
they understand the meaning of confidentiality and their responsibility to maintaining
confidentiality whilst undertaking a work experience or volunteer placement.
7.1.1. Managers are required to sign a declaration to ensure that they are adequately briefing
students about confidentiality requirements and are required to gain consent from any
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patients/staff to shadow any meetings and are mindful of any personal information (patient or
staff) that the student has access to.
8. Criminal records
8.1. Students undertaking work Experience MUST be supervised at all times and therefore a
Criminal records (DBS) check is not required.
8.2. Volunteers on placement in clinical areas may be required to complete a Criminal records
check.
8.3. If the placement allows the volunteer to gain credit towards an NVQ or qualification, they are
not eligible for a free CRB check please Appendix 4 from the CRB issued in May 2012 ( this
is covered in scenario 2). Enhanced checks cost £44 per person (at October 2012). There
is no central budget for this and so Managers need to be aware that this cost would need to
come out of their budget.
9. Induction and Training
9.1. It is mandatory that all volunteers joining the Trust attend Corporate Induction Day in line with
current arrangements. This is not necessary for work experience students.
9.2. All volunteers and work experience students will receive a general induction and managers
should complete the local induction checklist (please see Induction policy, HR10) covering
housekeeping issues, health & safety, the nature and purpose of the organisation, the
nature, operation, purposes and requirements of the role.
9.3. Volunteers will receive specific on-the-job training to provide them with the information and
skills necessary to perform their volunteer assignment. The training and methods for delivery
of such training should be appropriate to the complexity and demands of the assignment and
the capabilities of the volunteer.
9.4. It is the Local manager’s responsibility to ensure that volunteers complete the relevant E-
learning modules.
9.5. Volunteer placements will be reviewed constantly. An informal review of the placement will
take place every six months. This will look at any problems or issues a volunteer or
contact/mentor has, any other areas a volunteer is interested in, and ideas for improving the
quality of placement. A written record may be kept of this review.
9.6. DPT will ensure volunteers have the necessary skills required to carry out their placement .
Any risks to health and safety will be identified by workplace assessments and preventative
or protective methods will be undertaken. Volunteers will be told the identity of a competent
person taking charge during an emergency and the person responsible for health & safety
and first aid
10. Supervision
10.1. Each volunteer and work experience student within the organisation must have a clearly
identified contact/mentor. This person will be responsible for ongoing guidance of the
volunteer / work experience student, and shall be available to the volunteer / work
experience student for consultation and assistance. (A mentor is a person who shares
experience, knowledge and wisdom about a particular occupation, their occupation or about
the workplace in general.).
10.2. Records will be maintained on each volunteer, including recruitment documentation, dates of
placements , tasks performed, training records, and any complaints documentation.
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Volunteers’ personal records shall be accorded the strictest confidentiality in accordance with
data protection legislation.
10.3. If a volunteer or work experience student has a complaint, they should discuss it with their
mentor in the first instance. If they are unhappy or if the complaint is about their mentor, they
should discuss it with their mentor’s line manager, who will try to resolve the issue, or phone
the Human Resources Helpdesk.
10.4. If a mentor/contact has concerns about a volunteer’s or work experience student’s behaviour
or their ability to carry out their assignment, they should discuss their concerns with the
individual in the first instance. If this does not resolve the situation, their line manager should
be brought in to mediate. All discussions should be documented and the volunteer / work
experience student should be informed of any action taken in writing.
10.5. Volunteers can discontinue volunteering at any time. This information should be passed on to
their contact/mentor who will pass on the information to the Employment Services.
10.6. Workforce and Organisational Development Dept. will monitor and review the policy and the
procedures associated with it on an annual basis and report back to Human Resources
management team
11. Sickness
11.1. Volunteers are asked to report any sickness as soon as possible to their assigned contact.
11.2. Work Experience students need to report sickness to their assigned contact and their
school/Educational establishment as soon as possible on the morning the sickness occurs.
11.3. Immunisations and screening
11.3.1. Volunteers who are in direct contact with users of service should be made aware
of the Trust Policy on screening and immunisation. They should be advised that it
will be a requirement of their continued voluntary service that they arrange to
undergo screening and immunisation in line with this policy via their General
Practitioner. They should be informed that their GP may make a charge for this
service which is their responsibility to meet. Please refer to policy HR17 Staff
immunisation and Screening.
11.3.2. Volunteers who may be immunocompromised should seek the advice of their GP
to ensure that their health is such that they are not unduly vulnerable to infection.
If there are concerns regarding this a referral can be made to the Occupational
Health for advice.
12. Roles and Responsibilities
12.1. Employment Services –
Will co-ordinate the application process and allocation of placements
Ensuring that all appropriate paperwork is completed prior to the commencement of
placement.
12.2. Local Manager -
Agree work experience placement
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Identify a suitable Work Experience facilitator
Ensure the student is fully informed of all Local Health and Safety information and
confidentiality requirements.
Ensure all relevant e-learning is completed
Discuss learning objectives with the student.
12.3. Work Experience Facilitator/Mentor -
Ensure learning objectives are identified at the start of the placement
Support, supervise and guide the student throughout the placement
Complete any documentation required by the educational establishment
13. Record keeping and evaluation
13.1. All work experience students will be required to keep a diary of their experiences.
13.2. All work experience students will be asked to complete an evaluation form following the work
experience placement.
Signed on Behalf of Devon Partnership NHS Trust
Signed on Behalf of Staff Side
Date for Review Jan 2015
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Appendix 1 - Recruitment of Volunteers
Recruitment of Volunteers
If you wish to recruit a volunteer into your department you will need to follow the process below.
Please note that the NHS Employment Standards are also mandatory when taking on volunteers.
Please ensure that you read the Managers Guidance – Essential Checks required at interview. You
will need to ask prospective volunteers to bring documents confirming their identity and address to
interview.
Standard process for recruiting a volunteer
Any requests for Volunteer placements need to come into the Employment services mailbox -
dpn-tr.EmploymentServices@nhs.net
Employment services will send out an application form which needs to be completed and
returned to Employment Services.
Employment services will contact relevant Managers to see if a placement is available.
If a placement is identified the local manager will need to look over the application and arrange
an interview/ meeting to discuss the placement.
The local manager may need to allocate a mentor for each placement student.
Successful candidates will be sent/ required to –
o complete an honorary contract,
o complete a confidentiality form,
o complete a health declaration,
o Complete a CRB form (if applicable)
o Provide eligibility to work,
o Read the Immunisation policy HR17 and a CRB form (if applicable).
o Provide References
o Provide ID
o
All paperwork needs to be returned to Employment services before a placement can begin and
the offer of the placement is conditional until these checks are completed and are satisfactory.
Placement is to be reviewed at 6 monthly intervals.
If you have any queries in relation to this process or the checks required please contact Employment
Services on 01392 663915.
Please ensure you notify Employment Services if there are any changes to the volunteers
placement or if the placement is terminated.
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Appendix 2 - Recruitment of Work Experience Students
Recruitment of Work Experience Students
If you wish to recruit a Student into your department you will need to follow the process below.
Please note that the NHS Employment Standards are also mandatory when taking on Students.
Please ensure that you read the Managers Guidance – Essential Checks required at interview.
Standard process for recruiting a Work Experience Student.
Recruitment of Work Experience Students
All students wishing to undertake the annual work experience programme must apply
through their school. Ad-Hoc requests need to go to Employment Services who will seek
suitable placements where possible.
Students need to apply for a placement using the application form available through
Employment Services.
The completed application must be returned to Employment services at Wonford House,
Exeter. These will then be considered, and short listed candidates will be invited for an
interview. All candidates will be informed if they have been successful and given feedback if
they were unsuccessful.
Up to 5 students will be selected through interview for the annual programme.
Successful candidates will be sent, via post/email, an honorary contract, a confidentiality
form and a health declaration form.
Paperwork needs to be returned to Employment services 4 weeks before the placement
starts.
On completion of the placement the student will be sent an evaluation form. The student will
also be asked to complete a student evaluation form which can be given to the student for
personal profiles.
If you have any queries in relation to this process or the checks required please contact Employment
Services on 01392 663915.
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Appendix 3 - Confidentiality
CONFIDENTIALITY
Please read carefully and sign below.
All information concerning the Trust’s patients and their information must be treated as
strictly confidential at all times, unless disclosure is expressly authorised by your Head of
Department. Misuse of or a failure to properly safeguard confidential data will result in the
termination of your work experience placement with immediate effect.
Personal information concerning members of staff may be divulged only with their consent
or if the giving of it is a necessary part of official procedure. Unauthorised disclosure of
confidential information will result in the termination of your work experience placement with
immediate affect.
Under no circumstances may any information be given to representatives of the media on
any subject concerning the Trust’s facilities, its patients or staff, without the written authority
of the Chief Executive.
I hereby declare that I fully understand what is meant by the term
"Confidentiality" and I undertake never to divulge information to anyone without the
authority of the Ward or Department Manager.
I understand that to do so may result in legal action.
I accept the condition implied by signing this form and failure to comply with my
obligations will result in my placement being terminated.
Student’s signature……………………………………………………….
Print Name………………………………………………………………..
Date………………………………………………………………………..
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Appendix 4 - Managers Guidance - Volunteers and Criminal Records checks
Managers Guidance - Volunteers and Criminal Records checks
If the placement allows the volunteer to gain credit towards an NVQ or other qualification, they are no longer
eligible for a free CRB check please see information below from the CRB issued in May 2012 ( this is covered
in scenario 2). Enhanced checks cost £44 per person (correct as of October 2012). The cost of this would
come out of the local manager’s budget, so please be aware of this when taking on volunteers. Please see
guidance below from the CRB -
The following case studies have been put together based on some of the common errors we have identified so
far.
Position applied for
Students mentoring/tutoring children in
schools (three scenarios)
Scenario 1:- Where there is no benefit to
the student except to gain experience,
develop skills and enhance their CV.
Scenario 2:- Where the student receives a
qualification or credit towards a
qualification as a direct result of their
voluntary activity.
Scenario 3:- Where the student receives a
qualification or credit towards a
qualification and an opportunity to earn a
tax free bursary or payment.
CRB
‘volunteer’
status
Scenario 1:
Eligible
Scenario 2:
Ineligible
Scenario 3:
Ineligible
Reasoning
Scenario 1: This activity is entirely voluntary, is
unpaid and is primarily aimed at providing a service
to a third party.
Scenario 2: This activity is entirely voluntary, is
unpaid and provides a service to a third party; but
also provides a direct benefit in kind to the student.
Scenario 3: This activity is entirely voluntary and
provides a service to a third party; but also provides
a benefit in kind to the student and an opportunity to
receive a tax free bursary or payment.
Parent helpers in schools. Eligible This activity is entirely voluntary, is unpaid and is
primarily aimed at providing a service to a third
party.
Scout/Guide leaders. Eligible This activity is entirely voluntary, is unpaid and is
primarily aimed at providing a service to a third
party.
Adoptive parents and other household
members over 18 years old.
Foster carers and members of the same
household over 18 years old.
Eligible
Ineligible
This activity is entirely voluntary, is unpaid and is
primarily aimed at providing a service to a third
party.
This activity is entirely voluntary but foster carers
usually receive payments for these activities
therefore it is deemed that neither foster carers nor
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Individuals working abroad on volunteering
projects.
Medical/Teaching/Social Work student on
work placement, as part of training.
Ineligible
Ineligible
other members of the household are entitled to free
checks.
This activity is entirely voluntary and is primarily
aimed at providing a service to a third party, but
these persons usually receive payment of a local
salary, and lump sum payments, above and beyond
what could be described as “travel and other
approved out-of-pocket expenses”.
This activity is a mandatory course
The CRB is committed to providing free-of-charge checks for all volunteer applications that meet the CRB
definition of a volunteer. However it is essential that Registered Bodies comply with their conditions of
registration and ensure that only applicants who meet the CRB definition of a volunteer have the volunteer box
selected as ‘Yes’ at question x68 on the application form.
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