Volunteering Opportunity: Patient Driver with Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care

Do you enjoy driving and have an empathetic ear?

Our Patient drivers use their own cars to pick up patients from their homes across west Hertfordshire and bring them into our Hospice sites in St Albans and Watford.

Our patients really value this service, and say how wonderful it is that their visit to us starts with a friendly, caring and helpful driver.

Opportunity Type: Long-term Commitment

District: Dacorum, Hertsmere, St Albans, Three Rivers, Watford

Start Date: 26/06/2025
End Date: 30/12/2025

Location: From your office

Time of day: Weekday Mornings, Weekday Afternoons

Practical Considerations: You will be bringing patients to and from their own homes, but will not e expected to do any patient handling or lifting. Some patients may have a walking frame that will need to be brought with them. If they are a wheelchair user, there will be someone at home to help move them from the chair to the car, and one of our clinical staff will do the same when you arrive at our buildings.

Requirements: Will require a criminal record check (DBS), Own vehicle or access to a vehicle, Driving licence

Suitable for: 18 – 25 year olds, Aged 26 and over, Older People

Suitable for volunteers interested in: Driving & Transportation, End of Life, Bereavement & Hospices

Does this opportunity provide wheelchair access?: No

Full Description:
Purpose of this role
Drivers work as part of the Living Well Centre team providing patient transport. Using their own cars, drivers bring patients to and from the Hospice sites in St Albans and Watford, to attend day services and medical appointments.

Main tasks
• providing a safe, reliable transport service for patients to and from a Hospice location using your own car. We do not offer a transport service to any other location
• assisting patients to and from their front door
• assisting and supporting patients in and out of the car where necessary, with particular care and consideration whilst driving to take account of the fragile nature of some of our patients
• responding promptly to messages from the transport co-ordinator/patient services admin by mobile phone and email – our patients’ conditions can change very rapidly, meaning that changes often occur at the last minute
• passing on any concerns or feedback about the patients to the transport co-ordinator or clinicians
• making sure your mobile phone is with you and switched on at all times while volunteering
• maintaining clear boundaries: you are providing a professional service on behalf of Rennie Grove Peace and are not the patients’ “friend”. You must not share your personal contact details with a patient or ask them to share them with you

What are we looking for?

• Age 18+
• A friendly, calm, outgoing manner and ability to communicate with a range of people
• an empathetic and friendly person
• be able and willing to maintain strict confidentiality at all times
• be reliable, punctual, honest, flexible and trustworthy.
• committed to providing a professional service with understanding that plans may change at short notice.
• willingness to undertake additional, mandatory training when requested
• someone who is able to assist patients in and out of your car and to manoeuvre wheelchairs
• someone who is comfortable and competent with the use of email and mobile phones and understands the need for prompt communication

Other requirements
• clean and current driving licence
• fully comprehensive insurance with voluntary driving and potential to carry medical oxygen declared on policy
• if using your own vehicle, it should be taxed, MOT tested and roadworthy
• please note we will need evidence of the above documents, as well as an online DVLA licence check when you start volunteering and then annually thereafter

What's in it for you?
- by offering a few hours a week you can make a real difference to the experience that our patients have when they visit it
- you will be part of a friendly team, making social connections
- you can use and develop your listening skills