Volunteering

Volunteers add that all important ‘extra’ to the care and treatment provided to our patients by our multidisciplinary team of professionals in our wards and departments.

If you would like to volunteer your time and skills we would be delighted to hear from you.

What do volunteers do?
There are many ways that volunteers can help and we are always looking at new opportunities for our volunteers.

Current roles include:

  • Ward volunteers
  • Supporting patients in our out patient chemotherapy units and general out patient departments
  • Helping on our information desks
  • Welcoming visitors at the main entrance to our hospitals
  • Helping play specialists
  • Helping on the Maternity wards
  • Helping in our Friends shops and refreshment areas
  • Supporting the chaplains with patient visiting
  • Providing general administrative assistance

The role of the volunteer is complimentary to the work of our paid staff.

How can I find out more?
Please email us: voluntaryservices@imperial.nhs.uk

Alternatively, you can telephone us or visit one of the voluntary service offices, Monday to Friday 10am to 4pm.

For Charing Cross, Hammersmith or Queen Charlotte’s and Chelsea hospitals
Voluntary Service Office
Ground floor, south wing
Charing Cross Hospital
Fulham Palace Road
London W6 8RF
Telephone: 020 3311 1665

For St Mary’s and the Western Eye hospitals
Voluntary Service Office
Ground floor, Clarence Wing
St Mary’s Hospital
Praed Street
London W2 1NY
Telephone: 020 3312 6578

To be a volunteer you need to be over 16 years of age and be able to offer a regular weekly commitment of a minimum of 2 hours for at least 6 months. We are looking for people who are friendly, trustworthy and committed to help make a difference.   

Why volunteer?

  • You will meet interesting people of all ages and backgrounds and make new friends
  • You will be part of a team and learn new skills
  • It can help improve your job seeking opportunities, while you do something useful and worthwhile
  • It can contribute to your personal development
  • You are making an important contribution to your local hospital and Community.

Other ways to get involved

Work Experience and Access to Employment
The voluntary services department does not provide work experience placements.   The Human Resources Department are responsible for both pre-medical and general/administration work experience placements across the Trust.

Learning for Work training and recruitment programme
Learning for Work is a community recruitment programme at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust helping unemployed people access health sector jobs.

Apprenticeships
The Trust offers work placements in a wide range of areas. Our apprentices work in A&E, outpatients, human resources, learning and development, hospital wards and other clinical areas.

Volunteer for a charity
Another way you can volunteer for us is by donating some time to the charities operating at our hospitals. These include the Friends of Charing Cross Hospital, Friends of Hammersmith Hospital and Friends of St Mary’s, and Imperial College Healthcare Charity, which manages and raises charitable funds for all five hospitals within the Trust.

The Friends are independent charitable and voluntary organisations. The Friends run shops and/or refreshment facilities at several of our hospitals and would be interested in hearing from anyone who has a few hours a week to help out.

Imperial College Healthcare Charity welcomes volunteer fundraisers.