Patient Driver

**Role**:
Volunteer Patient Driver

**Location**:
East Lancashire Hospice

**Accountable to**:
Head of Community Supportive Care (This person will be your main point of contact while volunteering. They will provide you with the support and supervision necessary for you to perform your role)

**Role requirement**:
Minimum age 18 years

Two Satisfactory references Enhanced DBS check

Occupational Health Check

**Role Summary**
To provide a safe and efficient transport service for patients attending planned sessions and appointments.

**When we need you to be available**
The expected commitment for this role is dependent upon your availability.

Transport for patients is required Monday to Friday with attendance at the hospice required at various times during the day from 9.30am with final appointments finishing at 4pm, although any commitment would be greatly appreciated to enable us to run a flexible and vital sevice to our patients

**What we would like you to do**

1. To undertake training and development applicable to the role

2. To communicate sensitively and appropriately to patients, relatives, staff, volunteers and visitors at all times

3. To respect all information concerning volunteers, employees and patients as strictly confidential at all times.

4. To follow guidance on lone working and manual handling to ensure your safety and that of patients.

5. To ensure that your vehicle is safe for purpose, with a valid MOT certificate (if required) and comprehensively insured to undertake patient transportation and compliance with annual checks.

6. To ensure that you are fit to drive, informing the Volunteer Transport Coordinator of any health issue that may affect your driving ability

8. To provide as much notice to the Volunteer Transport Coordinator if you are unable to undertake a pre-arranged duty or are unavailable to provide transport to allow alternative plans to be made

9. To collect patients at the specified time ensuring punctuality, assist patients to the car and help them to get into and out of the vehicle.

10. To abide by the traffic laws, the Highway Code and drive with consideration to ensure the comfort and safety of passengers.

11. To feedback any concerns you may have about the patient eg patient unwell on the journey, changes in patient mobility, challenges with access, discomfort with passenger behavior to clinical staff providing that patients care

12. To report any incidents or accidents (however minor) to staff as soon as possible.

**What we will do**

1. Pay for your reasonable travelling expenses on your journeys being verified with the use of AA mileage calculator on 45p per mile.

2. Provide you with information and training on Communication skills, lone working and safe patient handling

3. Organise journeys in the same geographical location as your home address where possible

4. Provide details of allocated journeys on Friday each week

5. Provide contact and support if you encounter any difficulties in this role.

**Skills, knowledge, abilities and qualities required**
- Full driving licence, a good driving record and driving skills
- Good verbal communication skills demonstrating courtesy, compassion, sensitivity and professionalism
- Punctual and reliable
- Smart presentable appearance
- The ability to respond flexibly to changing needs and priorities
- Work at all times to safeguard the rights of individuals promoting their wellbeing and protecting those at risk from harm, acting on any concerns related to safeguarding children and adults at risk in line with policy and local guidance

**Equality and Diversity**

**Review of this description**

This role description is intended as an outline of general areas of activities and will be amended in the light of changing needs of the Hospice. It is expected that the volunteer will be positive and flexible as possible using this document as a framework

**If you are interested