1. Why do we do it?

It may be helpful to start by clarifying the reasons why we ask all staff (paid and unpaid) to undertake mandatory training.

The Care Quality Commission (CQC) regulates care provided by the NHS, local authorities, private companies and voluntary organisations. They aim to ensure that the best care is given to everyone wherever they may be when they require it. One of the many areas they regulate is any training given to people who come into contact with our patients and their families, directly or indirectly. As an organisation, St. Richard’s Hospice has a duty to provide training/information to allow us to offer best practice and to provide protection for patients, families and ourselves.

St Richard’s has an excellent reputation for the care it provides for our patients and their families. To fulfil our requirements as members of the St Richard’s organisation, we also have a duty to attend any training provided on a mandatory basis. These sessions are designed to equip us to carry out our role within St Richard’s and are also relevant to us outside of our workplace.  Whatever role we have, the training is designed to reflect that and be as relevant as possible.

If you have any questions around mandatory training, and its relevance, please come and see us to discuss it with you.

2. What we do

Training starts with an Induction Course for all volunteers who work at the hospice when they start. It covers all aspects of work at St Richard’s.

Then there is mandatory annual update training for everyone, staff and volunteers and specific training on topics relevant to your role.

The hospice has a larger programme of education and training for health professionals which are also open to volunteers for the standard fee (Education) However, all mandatory training for volunteers is provided free of charge.

3. Training Content

Induction Course and Mandatory Annual Update Training

• Health and safety
• Child and vulnerable adult protection
• Equality and diversity
• Food handling Infection control
• Moving and handling and back awareness

Please contact the Volunteer dept on volunteers@strichards.org.uk for the dates.

• For the Mandatory Annual Update, see the MANDATORY TRAINING.

Listening Skills

All volunteers who have contact with patients must receive (free) the Part 1 of a longer course provided by the hospice. The aim is to inform, update and refresh skills in active listening and appropriate responding. It will engage with grief and loss issues and elements of self-awareness.

Part 2 is free to volunteers who assist the Family Support Service.

• If you wish to attend please contact the Education Department – email education@strichards.org.uk or phone 01905 763963.

Manual Handling

ALL volunteers who have physical contact with patients need to do this. This includes volunteers working in the Living Well Centre, drivers, volunteers working in the IPU and complementary therapy volunteers.

• Moving and handling skills
• Practice standing a patient from sitting
• Moving patient back in chair
• Support holds to walk patients
• Transfer from chair to wheelchair
• Principles of safe wheelchair use
• Stairs
• In addition the driver volunteers will then go over getting a patient in and out of a car.

Complementary therapy volunteers & IPU / Living Well Centre volunteers who have physical contact with patients lying down will need to do bed work.

• Sitting patients up in bed
• Helping patients in and out of bed
• Use of slide sheet
• Helping patients move from prone to sitting up
• Any other moves
• Volunteers who do bathing will also be instructed in the use of hoists in IPU and Day Hospice which will be demonstrated separately.

Please confirm with the education team details of the training dates.
01905 763 963