Job vacancy: Pets As Therapy Volunteer, Kingston and Richmond NHS Foundation Trust, Kingston upon Thames

Job summary

Main area: Volunteer
Grade: Volunteer
Contract: Voluntary: Volunteer
Hours: Part time - 3 hours per week (3hrs per week - Monday - Sunday)
Job ref: PAT901

Employer: Kingston and Richmond NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type: NHS
Site: Kingston Hospital
Town: Kingston upon Thames
Closing: 19/01/2025 23:59

Pets As Therapy Volunteer

Volunteer

Home, community, hospital

Kingston and Richmond NHS Foundation Trust offers a range of fantastic opportunities to grow your career across both hospital and community settings in south London. Whether you're looking to build new skills or take your experience to the next level, we are uniquely placed to provide the right environment to support your professional development. With colleagues working in people’s homes, in community clinics, and in our two hospitals, we have an outstanding breadth of knowledge and experience to draw from.

Our commitment to exceptional care is reflected in being the first trust of our kind in London to achieve an ‘Outstanding’ rating from the CQC for both overall quality and leadership. We exist to provide the best possible care for our patients and we do that by giving our colleagues what they need to be their best at work. We have won numerous awards from the HSJ and Nursing Times for the way we support our colleagues across all our services.

We are proud to be recognised for our outstanding cancer care, children's services, pioneering surgical teams, and exceptional rehabilitation services. Our maternity services have been rated the "Best in London" by women surveyed by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), with parents travelling to Kingston to take advantage of our considerable experience and expertise.

Our Trust values

These words are important reminders, but it’s our behaviours that tell people who we are. We expect all colleagues to bring our values to life in their work.

Compassionate: We provide care with kindness, understanding, and empathy for all.
Inclusive: We embrace diversity and respect the unique contributions of every individual.
Collaborative: We foster teamwork across all levels, working together and with our partners to deliver the best outcomes.
Inspiring: We are committed to continuous improvement and excellence in patient care, staff development, and innovation.

Kingston Hospital is a welcoming and dog-friendly hospital that greatly values the interactions between visiting Pets as Therapy (PAT) dogs with patients, their family and friends, and with staff.

Pets as Therapy is a national charity founded in 1983. The aim is to enhance health and wellbeing in the community through the visits of trusted volunteers with their behaviourally assessed animals.

It’s well-known (and scientifically prove) that interaction with a gentle, friendly pet has significant benefits in relation to both physical and mental health and a visit by PAT dogs of all sizes brings a smile to many faces. Volunteers and their PAT accredited dogs can visit almost all parts of the hospital including wards and clinics as well as staff areas. Visits may occur either with the direct involvement of staff or simply by introducing yourself and your dog to individuals.

Essential Information:

If you are interested in more than 1 role, please submit your application on your initial preference (other roles can be discussed at assessment).

Please kindly note, you will be given a 20-minute assessment on the week commencing either Monday 27th January 2025at the Volunteering office.

The Mandatory training for this role will be on Tuesday 11th March 2025.

Please only apply if you are able to attend the above dates.

Please can you ensure you provide details for 2 references (one of which you have known for over 3 years) It is essential you provide an email address for each reference when submitting your application. Please note – you can provide a family friend but not a relative.

Please ensure to bring the below I.D documents to your assessment otherwise we will not be able to proceed with your assessment on the day.

A minimum of THREE individual forms of valid, current, and original identification are required. Please bring one document from group one (below) AND two documents from group two (Below):

Group One:

UK Passport
EEA/Swiss Passport
Other passport with indefinite leave to remain
Other Passport
Biometric Residence permit
Driving Licence photo card (UK, IOM or CI)
Current EU Photo Driving Licence
EU national identity card - EU only

Group Two:

Driving Licence photo card (UK, IOM or CI)
Current EU Photo Driving Licence
Driving licence - old-style paper licence (must be UK)
Bank statement (UK/EEA) - less than 3 months old
Utility bill - less than 3 months old (UK)
Utility bill - 2nd Supplier - less than 3 months old
Council Tax Statement – issued in the last 12 months
Mortgage statement (UK or EEA) must be a recognised lender and issued in the last 12 months.

NB: If you are aged 16 - 19 years, in full time education and you are unable to provide two documents from group 2 above, either of the following ID options can be used:

Full UK birth certificate (A4 size original , not photocopy, containing mother and fathers details)

Letter from head teacher or college principal, confirming you are a student and containing your name, current address and date of birth, PLUS either an official exam certificate in your name or a National Insurance number letter.

If you are unable to or have difficulty in providing the above evidence, please give us a call on 0208 934 3620 / 2549

Please ensure that you have read the Role Profile attached below.

You will be contacted by the Volunteering Services Team via email. Please ensure that you check your email account regularly.

Kingston Hospital NHS Trust has four key values and we want to ensure that our volunteers share these values and demonstrate behaviours that support them. They are:

- Caring – Displaying empathy, compassion, dignity and respect to patients, staff and volunteers.

- Safe – Make the safety of patients, staff and volunteers our prime concern as safety comes first

- Responsible – All staff and volunteers take responsibility for the hospital, its services and reputation

- Value Each Other – Value each others’ contribution

Kingston Hospital NHS Trust is committed to safeguarding children and adults who are at risk of abuse. As such, if the appointee to this post will have access to children or vulnerable adults, he/she will be required to undertake an Enhanced Disclosure Barring Service check.

However, all employees have a responsibility for safeguarding children and vulnerable adults in the course of their duties and for ensuring that they are aware of the specific duties relating to their role

Committed to being an Inclusive Employer

London Living Wage is a voluntary commitment made by employers, who can become accredited with the Living Wage Foundation

Mindful employer. Being positive about mental health.

London HCSW Award - Sustainable Retention

Applicant requirements

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name: Volunteers Office
Email address: [email protected]
Telephone number: 0208 934 3620 / 2959
Additional information

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