Boost for Volunteering in Health and Social Care

NHS and local government leaders are being called on to refresh their thinking on the role and value of volunteering by Care Services Minister Phil Hope, as he publishes a new Strategic Vision today. The Strategic Vision for Volunteering in Health and Social Care sets out how volunteers can and do enhance health and social care and how this can be supported.

It is designed to engage everybody working in the health and social care system, including acute, mental health and community NHS services, NHS Foundation Trusts, local authorities and partner organisations in the voluntary, community and wider third sectors.

It aims to:

                enhance the profile and involvement of volunteers;
                highlight their potential in terms of health and well-being;
                improve the evidence base for investment in volunteering;
                promote best practice;
                reduce obstacles and increase opportunities to make volunteering accessible to all; and
                inspire and enable change to support its delivery.

Care Services Minister Phil Hope said:

“Volunteers do an amazing job and play a very important role in the NHS and social care services.

"Volunteering benefits patients and service users, and gives volunteers invaluable experience that they might not get in their everyday work and life. Research has shown that there are health and well being benefits for volunteers too.

“In our Strategic Vision, we are taking a collaborative approach to encourage and support others to create more volunteering roles. We’re encouraging a wider range of people to engage in volunteering in ways that suit them.

“I’d like to offer my personal thanks to all those who volunteer in health and social care roles, who are the inspiration for the work we are doing and plan to do to in support of this volunteering for the future.”

Volunteers play a key role in improving care for patients. Thousands of volunteers already get involved every day providing services that range from mentoring, befriending and peer support right through to support in hospitals for those recovering from surgery.

But there is still considerable scope for more, and more effective, volunteering. The document sets out how those who are themselves receiving care can become involved. Evidence shows that those who volunteer enjoy improved physical and mental wellbeing as a result and that the involvement of service users in volunteering can improve care outcomes.

For example, older people who volunteer are much less likely to suffer from isolation. This has the further benefit that those who have experience of health and social care services are well-placed to understand the needs of others using the same services.

The Vision calls on health and social care leaders and commissioners to consider where volunteers can become involved to promote better service outcomes, and to commission services in a way that allows volunteer and third sector organisations to compete. It also provides a framework for action by focused around five key themes of: leadership, partnership, commissioning, volunteer management and support for individual volunteers.

Baroness Neuberger, former Government volunteering champion, said:

“I am delighted to see this vision published. It responds to many of the key issues I highlighted in my earlier review of volunteering in health and social care, including the potential of service users as volunteers, the need to make volunteering opportunities more accessible to more people and encouraging greater recognition of the vital role that Volunteer Managers play.

“The strategic vision sets out a strong case for action and a sound framework for innovation and positive change. The proof of real determination in this area will be speedy action, and the accompanying evaluation to show what a difference has been made, and what more should be encouraged.”

Fiona Dawe OBE, Chief Executive at YouthNet, says:

“Through our work and research with volunteers, we know that health and social care opportunities are vital areas of interest for thousands of current and potential volunteers.

“The power of volunteering not only transforms the lives of those in need, it also changes the volunteers themselves and by harnessing the energy, motivation and drive of these individuals, the benefits of volunteering to health and social care across the UK is endless.

“It’s extremely encouraging to see the Department of Health recognising the real value of volunteering and we look forward to supporting the partners involved with this visionary strategy and connecting volunteers with their communities into the future.”

Source of this Article:

Department of Health (National) (opens a new window)

By Wido Weidler (Bournemouth Borough Council)

Posted: Friday 19 March 2010

Permalink: http://www.bournemouth2026.org.uk/boost_for_volunteering_in_health_and_social_care

No comments have been posted.