In support of its aims to provide a holistic palliative care service for patients and their carers, the Hospice welcomes and supports the involvement of the voluntary team.

Volunteers form part of the wider multifunctional Hospice team and are deemed to be an alternative option to paid staff. Duties are of a non-medical/nursing nature and are undertaken by volunteers throughout most areas of the Hospice. The tasks and skills involved are set out in the appropriate profile/guideline documents.

The minimum age for a volunteer is 16. Otherwise, the only other criteria are that volunteers must be in good health, physically capable of undertaking the designated rota duty and are not receiving medical treatment, which would be problematic within a hospice environment. All volunteers must be registered for insurance purposes.

A regular mutually agreed commitment is important. Induction training for new volunteers is mandatory, after which all volunteers are encouraged to take an active part in further development programmes, group meetings and social occasions, which are arranged from time-to-time.

All volunteers are required to undertake their duties in accordance with the commitments set out in the General Guidelines and the Hospice's general code of practice.

Voluntary duties at the Hospice are not covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act, which means that criminal convicted offences, apart from minor motoring offences, have to be disclosed. The existence of a criminal record does not automatically debar applicants from voluntary work.

St. Mary's Hospice operates an equal opportunities policy and applications are welcomed from all sections of the community and none will be disadvantaged in this regard.