Dining Buddy and Befriender

Volunteering on award involves a long term commitment (for example 9 - 12 months), and to bring continuity and stability for patients and staff, we ask volunteer to support by doing the same periods each week, which are discussed and agreed by the volunteer and volunteer supervisor.
We have merged the role of dining buddy and befriender to maintain familiarity and consistency for our patients. Dining buddies are volunteers who provide extra support during mealtimes and help complete diet/fluid charts. The role supports people to maintain optimal health and wellbeing, nutrition and hydration.

Working for our organisation
Befrienders can help patients feel content during their stay in hospital by spending time with them, maybe having a chat and a cup of tea/coffee or engaging in other social activities.
1. Introduce yourself to the patients and discuss the menu relevant to that meal time.
2. Assist with providing patients with their meals and ensure cutlery/napkins/specialist equipment is available.
3. Support individuals who may need extra help, for example cutting up food, opening packets, spreading butter (etc). No direct feeding of patients is to take place.
4. Encourage conversation during mealtime so it is a social occasion.
5. Support other staff to clear away utensils between courses and at the end of the meal and clean the dining room area.
6. Support completion of diet and fluid charts following meals.
7. Complete fluid pushes and complete fluid charts accordingly.
8. Establish and build befriending relationships with patients.
9. Ensure appropriate boundaries are maintained.
10. Spend time listening, talking and engaging in activities with the patients.
For this role applicants must be over the age of 18
An Enhanced DBS with Adult Barring is also required for this role

Our Vision is to provide the best mental health, learning disability, autism and community based services for the populations we serve.
As an integrated Mental Health, Learning Disability and Community Trust, Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust provides a range of services including:
+ Primary and secondary mental health care for children and adults including specialist inpatient child and adolescent mental health provision, perinatal mental health, forensic services including low and medium secure care.
+ Specialist community support for children and adults with learning disabilities and autism, including intensive support.
+ Community physical health and well-being services for children and adults.
The Trust was first established in 2002 and employs approximately 7,000 staff who provide care from more than 400 sites. The organisation offers opportunities for medics, mental health and general nurses, allied health professionals, Psychology, administration and clerical staff, apprentices and volunteers.
Lancashire & South Cumbria Foundation Trust supports flexible working, we believe that a positive work/life balance benefits NHS employees through improved health and wellbeing. We would consider working patterns such as; term time, part time, compressed hours, home/remote working, and flexi-time.
For more information about Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS FT please visit our website via Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS FT.

Please note that further communication from Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust (LSCFT) will normally be to the email address given on the application form. You should also ensure that email addresses and telephone numbers are provided for your referees, to enable LSCFT to contact them.
Please ensure that you read the Person Specification attached below as your application will be measured against this document. Applications from job share partners are welcome and other forms of flexible working will be considered for all posts.
For all posts which require a Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check please be aware of the Disclosure & Barring Service Code of Practice, a copy of which is available by logging on to the DBS website. If the post is subject to DBS disclosure, a charge will be made to the successful candidate(s).
You are advised to consider applying for LSCFT vacancies as soon as possible as in some instances vacancies are closed as soon as a sufficient number of applications have been received. If you are not invited to interview within three weeks of the closing date then please assume that on this occasion you have been unsuccessful, as it is not possible to contact all unsuccessful candidates.
Lancashire & South Cumbria Care is committed to celebrating difference as an asset and we know that recruiting talent from diverse backgrounds helps to create a more flexible, creative and effective workforce. We actively challenge discrimination and welcome applications from people regardless of age, disability (especially those with experience of accessing mental health, or Learning Disability Services or caring for someone who has accessed mental health services or Learning Disability Services), ethnicity, gender, religion or belief or sexual orientation. Our goal is for the Trust to be truly representative of the communities we serve so we are particularly keen to receive applications from people in under-represented groups. If there is anything you'd like to discuss in relation to your application then please ask.