People Participation Programme
Volunteer Handbook
To be used in conjunction with Mersey Care NHS Trust’s Framework for the
People Participation Programme
Date of Issue
Version
3 December 2014 Version 1
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People Participation Team
Dear Volunteers
Welcome to the People Participation Team. We extend a warm welcome to you and hope that
volunteering within Mersey Care NHS Trust (the Trust) will be both enjoyable and rewarding. We
value your generous contribution to the Trust.
The purpose of the Handbook is to answer some of the questions often asked by volunteers and
provide guidance to ensure that your activities are enjoyable and rewarding, and that you feel
supported at all times.
If you require any additional information or advice that is not contained within the Trust’s
framework for the people participation programme or this handbook, or if you would prefer to talk
to someone in person, please ask the Participation Lead for the service area in which you volunteer.
The Participation Lead for your service area is:
Name: ……………………………………………………………………..
Base: ………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………..
Contact No: ……………………………………………………………….
Mobile No: ………………………………………………………………...
Email address: ------------------------------------------------------------------The contact details for the central People Participation Team are:
People Participation Team,
Mersey Care NHS Trust,
Trust Headquarters,
8 Princes Parade,
Princes Dock,
St. Nicholas Place,
Liverpool
L3 1DL
T: 0151 285 2250
E: volunteering@merseycare.nhs.uk
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1. Introduction
Mersey Care NHS Trust is a high-performing organisation that consistently achieves its national and
local targets for quality, services and finances. It is one of only three specialist mental health trusts
of its kind in the country, providing a wide range of services, including specialist adult mental health,
learning disability and addiction services for around one million people in Merseyside. It also
provides regional secure mental health services, as well as national high secure services based at
Ashworth Hospital. The Trust also actively campaigns for better understanding of mental health
issues and strive to challenge the stigma that still exists around them.
2. Trust Values
 Rights
 Respect
 Responsibility
3. Trust Purpose
To see the person, meet the need and challenge the stigma.
4. Trust Vision
To be recognised as a leading organisation in the provision of mental health care, addiction services
and learning disability care. Quality, recovery and wellbeing will be at the heart of everything we do.
5. Equality, Diversity and Human Rights Statement
Mersey Care NHS Trust recognises that some sections of society experience prejudice and
discrimination The Equality Act 2010 specifically recognises the ‘protected characteristics’ of age,
disability, gender, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation and transgender. The Act also requires
regard to pregnancy /maternity and marriage/civil partnership.
The Trust is committed to equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice both in the
provision of services and in our role as a major employer. The Trust believes that all people have the
right to be treated with dignity and respect and is committed to, the elimination of unfair and
unlawful discriminatory practices. The Trust’s values and beliefs are summarised in the Equality
Policy (HR10) which can be found on the Trust website.
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6. Volunteers’ Rights and Responsibilities
6.1. Trust obligations to you
 To be a valued and appreciated partner of the Trust
 To be treated with respect and dignity. This means that the Trust will not tolerate racism,
homophobia, sexism or any other form of discrimination
 To be listened to and taken seriously
 To have an agreed, clearly written, role description so that participants know what is expected of
them
 To be able to say no or negotiate tasks and responsibilities
 To receive the required induction and any further appropriate training
 To have an identified supervisor
 To receive regular supervision and feedback
 To have a personalised development plan
 To have access to the Trust libraries
6.2. Responsibilities
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To treat people with respect and dignity
To adhere to the Participant Agreement and framework for the People Participation Programme
To adhere to the Trust dress code
To be reliable and punctual, providing advance notice of any absences
To attend supervision
To share any worries or concerns about the participation activity
To ask for help if needed
To approach service users, staff and the public in a polite, friendly and cooperative manner
7. Guidelines for volunteers engaging with service users and carers
 On any given day, service users or carers may not want to talk to you or participate in activities;
staff will be available to give guidance on your course of action
 Always be empathetic and sensitive to service users and carers’ needs and health problems.
7.1 Confidentiality
Before you begin any voluntary activity you will need to have signed a confidentiality agreement. If
you are at all unsure about what is expected of you in relation to confidentiality please speak to your
Local Participation Lead or a member of the central People Participation Team. Unauthorised
disclosure of any confidential information may lead to your suspension from voluntary activities with
the Trust.
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7.2 Information Governance
Information Governance ensures that one of the Trusts most important assets, information, in both
clinical and management terms, is respected and held in a secure and manageable conditions. The
Trust has put into place a range of appropriate policies, procedures and management arrangements
to provide a robust framework for Information Governance. It will maintain polices and procedures
to ensure compliance with the requirements of the Information Governance Toolkit and all
volunteers must adhere to the current legislative framework and Trust policies.
All volunteers must complete the Trust’s Corporate Essential Mandatory Induction Training which
includes a mandatory Information Governance training module which must be completed on an
annual basis
7.3 What to do if you know or recognise a service user or carer where you are volunteering.
The Trust will always ensure that service users’ care and treatment is not affected by volunteering
activities. Knowing a service user or carer is not always problematic, however we do need to be
mindful that in some circumstances it may cause someone distress if a volunteer they know, or who
knows them, is in the area where they are receiving care and treatment. This could add to their
health problems and so in order to avoid any unnecessary upset, any potential issues must be
flagged up and participants must inform a member of staff or their Local Participation Lead if they
know a service user, carer or visitor. If circumstances change during the course of their volunteering
they should inform a member of staff or their Local Participation Lead.
8. Health & Safety
The Trust recognises the importance of ensuring that everyone is able to volunteer safely and
without risk to health. This can only be achieved by all working together in partnership to ensure
hazards to health and the risk of personal injury are minimised whilst ensuring that services are
properly maintained. Volunteers must take reasonable care for the health & safety of themselves
and of others who may be affected by their acts or omissions while participating in any activities
with Mersey Care NHS Trust. Please read the Trust’s Health, Safety and Welfare (SA07) on the
website for further information about health and safety within the organisation:
www.merseycare.nhs.uk
8.1 New or Expectant Mothers
If whilst volunteering for the Trust should you discover you are pregnant, or you are a new mother
or breastfeeding, you must contact a supervisor at the earliest possible opportunity. The Trust will
carry out a risk assessment of the volunteering activity you participate in to ensure you the safety of
you and your unborn baby. For further information please see policy HS2 New Expectant Mothers
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9. Incidents, Compliments and Complaints
9.1 Incidents
Sometimes things happen, or almost happen, to people that we would rather did not happen; these
are called Adverse Incidents. An Adverse Incident could be the use of inappropriate language,
someone becoming angry and frightening those around them or someone leaving a ward area
without staff knowing they had gone. When something like this happens, an Adverse Incident Form
is completed and in serious cases an investigation in to what happened may be required. Volunteers
should report adverse incidents to a senior member of staff in the area where they are volunteering.
The Trust Policy (SA03) can be found on the Trust website at www.merseycare.nhs.uk
9.2 Complaints
It is important that volunteers understand that someone may make a complaint about them.
Wherever possible all complaints will be handled informally through local resolution by Local Leads.
Volunteers will be supported by their Local Lead or by the central People Participation Team
throughout this process. Volunteers will have an opportunity to have their say and receive a fair
investigation which will be heard in the first instance by either the Development Manager or the
Deputy Director of the People Participation Team. If the complaint cannot be rectified informally it
will be escalated to the Trust’s complaints procedure
If you have a complaint about someone please discuss it in the first instance with the person who
supervises you during your voluntary activity. If you prefer, you can discuss it with your Local
Participation Lead or the Programme Lead People Participation. Whoever you chose to discuss it
with will investigate it in confidence and try to resolve it.
9.3 Compliments
Volunteers will be informed if they receive compliments and these will be formally documented on
your personal file which is held on the People Participation database. However volunteers are not
allowed to accept gifts; this is in line with the Trust’s Standing Financial Instructions (F02) which can
be found on the Trust website at www.merseycare.nhs.uk
10. Identification
Volunteers must wear their Trust volunteer photographic identification with the green lanyards at all
times when on Trust premises. (With the exception of volunteering in secure services where you will
be issued with a red visitor’s lanyard and ID each time you visit).
11. Dress code
The Trust’s dress code is ‘smart, casual’. Clothing should be appropriate to the activity being
undertaken i.e. sports clothing for sporting activity but not for general activity.
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12. Travel and Out of Pocket Expenses
The Trust prefers to make payments for travel and other out of pocket expenses via the BACS system
(direct payments in to your bank account). Volunteers will therefore be asked to complete a bank
account details at induction or with their first travel claim form (forms are available from your Local
Lead).
When completing a travel claim form remember to attach all the relevant receipts; where possible
take a photocopy of the form and receipts, for your records, pass the original completed form and
receipts to your supervisor, ensuring you have signed and dated the form. Please submit your claims
weekly.
If you do not have a bank account, where ever possible, travel expenses will be paid on the day of
the voluntary activity at a cash office. However, it is important to realise that many sites do not have
access to a cash office.
Car mileage is paid at the rate of 40p per mile up to a maximum of 50 miles (£20 maximum)
Public transport costs will be reimbursed at a maximum of £6 per day within the Mersey Travel
geographical area or up to a maximum of £12 per day if travelling from outside of the Mersey Travel
geographical area.
In addition to travelling expenses car parking/toll expenses will be refunded but proof of a parking
ticket will be required. Volunteers using public transport will only have expenses refunded upon
proof of a daily travel ticket; please note we are unable to refund a portion of a weekly saver ticket.
The claim forms are to be completed on a daily basis and can be forwarded to Carol Gannon, Mersey
Care NHS Trust, 8 Princes Parade, Princes Dock Liverpool, L3 1DL by the internal mail, please ask staff
where the post basket is located in each unit where you volunteer. Internal envelopes will provided,
please address to Carol Gannon Princes Dock.
Volunteer travel expenses will be reviewed at the same time as staff travel expenses.
Lunch and/or other out of pocket expenses should be agreed in advance of a volunteering activity
with the Development Manager or the Deputy Director People Participation Team. Where
reimbursement for lunch is agreed it will be to the maximum value of £3 per day.
13. Personal References
In order for you to be eligible to receive a professional character reference from Mersey Care NHS
Trust you will need to have been an active volunteer with the Trust for a minimum of 6 months, with
a minimum of 20 hours volunteering. In order for you to be eligible to receive a professional
character reference which may be used in an application to join the Mersey Care NHS Trust’s
additional staffing bank a minimum of 50 hours volunteering will be required.
Please note that a professional character reference will not allow staff to comment on your ability to
carry out a paid role; it allows for comment on your reliability, punctuality, honesty etc.
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Appendix 1
Volunteer’s Induction Checklist
To be completed on your first day of volunteering.
Volunteer’s Name:
Department / Base:
Start Date of Voluntary Activities:
This record is to be completed by the Service Volunteer Lead in conjunction with the
volunteer. It is to be completed on the first day of attendance or as soon as possible
thereafter.
NB. No volunteer shall be expected to carry out duties without appropriate training. This
should be discussed with the service volunteer lead.
Introduction
DATE
INFORMATION
GIVEN
INFORMATION
GIVEN BY
(Signature)
INFORMATION
RECEIVED BY
VOLUNTEER
DATE
INFORMATION
GIVEN
INFORMATION
GIVEN BY
(Signature)
INFORMATION
RECEIVED BY
VOLUNTEER
Introduction to Area of Work – Tour of Area
Introduction to colleagues/patients (if applicable)
Received clear instructions on who s/he is responsible to
Shown lockers/security of belongings explained
Been acquainted with location of dining facilities, coffee
machine/ kettle, library – (where available).
Introduced to the tasks to be undertaken
Health and Safety
Location and fire fighting equipment (legal requirement
although volunteers not expected to use or be
responsible for evacuating service users etc.)
Fire drills and alarms & location of Fire Exits/Assembly
points
Health risks – COSHH
First Aid boxes/first aiders/incident forms
Security measures – doors and alarm codes (e.g. pin
point alarms)
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Information
DATE
INFORMATION
GIVEN
INFORMATION
GIVEN BY
(Signature)
INFORMATION
RECEIVED BY
VOLUNTEER
DATE
INFORMATION
GIVEN
INFORMATION
GIVEN BY
(Signature)
INFORMATION
RECEIVED BY
VOLUNTEER
DATE
INFORMATION
GIVEN
INFORMATION
GIVEN BY
(Signature)
INFORMATION
RECEIVED BY
VOLUNTEER
Time sheet/signing in/out procedure
Meal times and arrangements
Informing your supervisor about sickness absence/time
off
Who to approach for help/information
Importance of regular time keeping/attendance
EXPECTED STANDARDS OF PROCEDURE
Discussions re. confidentiality and appropriate
boundaries
Courtesy
to patients/visitors
Helpfulness to other staff
Telephones/bleeps/pagers & Personal telephone calls –
incoming & outgoing
Car parking
Identified Training Needs
RECEIVED INFORMATION ON: (If applicable)
Department rules
Ward/department/service routine
Communications: Team brief, notice boards, Mersey
care’s newsletter, Trust website
Departmental meetings
Personal security
Local Security policy
I confirm that the above information has been discussed with me and that I fully understand all of
the information.
Volunteers Signature:
Date:
Service Lead Signature:
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Appendix 2
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