Local NHS Trust volunteer shares personal experience

Posted: 07 January 2022

Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust is welcoming members of the public from Bradford, Airedale, Wharfedale, Craven and Wakefield to its online public Board meeting on Thursday 13 January 2022.One of the Trust's volunteers

The Board will discuss recent CQC inspection results, how the Trust is responding to increasing local COVID-19 infections and how volunteering has impacted the life of one volunteer at the Trust.

Attendees will hear first-hand from Aneekah, a volunteer at Lynfield Mount Hospital, as she shares her story about volunteering and how it has contributed to her mental health and progress towards her career goals.

Clare Bancroft, Volunteer Service Manager at the Trust, said: “Volunteers have had a huge impact on patients and their loved ones at the Care Trust, and Aneekah is a great example of how volunteering can impact so positively on an individual’s life, recognising that volunteering gives people the confidence and skills to take on new opportunities.”

“Care Trust volunteers often provide a unique perspective and have the skills, time and energy like no other group. It will be brilliant to hear first-hand what the experience is like.”

The Trust helps volunteers to reach their full potential, whether that be supporting their own recovery, for furthering career opportunities or for personal wellbeing. Its Volunteering Strategy 2021-24 sets out the ambitions for volunteering in the future, as the Trust is hoping to grow these opportunities, and develop innovative and creative roles with a supportive volunteer culture.

Members of the public will also hear from the Trust’s Director of Nursing, Professions, and Care Standards, Phillipa Hubbard, who will provide an update on the results following the recent Care Quality Commission inspection in September. The Trust was rated ‘Good’ with inspectors recognising significant improvements across the Trust’s services. This includes governance processes, oversight and management of risks, serious incident reporting, appraisal and mandatory training.

Board meetings are an excellent opportunity for local people to learn more about the work of the organisation and its wider involvement in improving healthcare across the region.

The live online Board meeting will take place on Microsoft Teams on Thursday 13 January 2022, 9.00am-12.40pm.  For people wishing to attend, please contact the Foundation Office by email: FT@bdct.nhs.uk or phone: 01274 251313. The next public Board meeting will be Thursday 10 March 2022, timings to be confirmed.