Participation Partner Toolbox

The Trust appreciates and values volunteers, patients and the public who give their time, energy, skills, expertise, and experience to support our work. All Trust volunteers, patient and lay representatives and experts by experience are known as participation partners.

We want to ensure that all our participation partners feel safe, included, and recognised. So too, we recognise the importance of access to training and offers that support health and wellbeing. We have therefore produced the below handy resource guide which will be updated regularly with the latest offers and opportunities.

Essential information

Contact the team

Community Engagement Team: whcnhs.communityengagement@nhs.net

Volunteer Co-Ordinator: Kate Richards. Email: Kathryn.richards3@nhs.net

Volunteer and Patient and Public Participation Policy

Participation and Volunteer Policy

This document;

Defines volunteering and participation and clarifies how these activities differ from paid roles
Provides a framework for participation activity, giving clarity to participation partners and staff around responsibilities and the administrative processes, including training, required for participation
Details what participation activity will be remunerated, and the administration processes required
Details what participation activity will include the payment of expenses, and the administration processes required
Articulates the value of participation and details the support and development opportunities that will be offered to participation partners

Your feedback or ideas for improvement

You will be invited to give feedback to the Trust as staff do, through a people survey which takes place in January, April and July. This is emailed to your registered email address.

You can also send anonymous comments, suggestions, or improvements using the form below. These will be sent to the Community Engagement Team for review and action.

Health and wellbeing support

The Trust is committed to supporting the health and wellbeing of its participation partners. As such, participation partners can access the support offers made available to staff.

Health and wellbeing are about ensuring that people feel good and function well both physically and mentally. Below is a list of the health and wellbeing support available.

Volunteers are also invited to join staff wellbeing initiatives for example ‘WellFest’. Details of these initiatives will be emailed as they arise.

Mental health and wellbeing

Peer Support

We recognise that participation partners may want to network with others within the Trust to feel like one team and reconnect. The Community Engagement Team will be organising coffee mornings so that people can keep in touch if they want to. Please check back in for more information.

Silver Cloud

Silver Cloud offers a dedicated selection of online therapy modules to help people over the age of 16 reduce stress, anxiety and increase resilience as a result of COVID-19.

Please note: You will need to enter one of the following PINs: HEREFORDSHIRE or WORCESTERSHIRE to access the modules.

Relaxation techniques

Exploring relaxation can help you look after yourself when you're feeling stressed or worried. Why not try these relaxation routines and see how relaxation can fit into your daily life. https://www.talkingtherapies.hwhct.nhs.uk/relaxationtechniques

Physical health

One You

The One You website highlights the importance about health and encourages you to make changes to manage and maintain mental health. You can take online quizzes to:

see what your heart age is and how to improve
calculate your BMI
discover simple steps to being more healthy.

It also has information to support you with your blood pressure, diabetes checks and where you can access NHS health checks.

NHS Better Health

Your health matters. There has never been a better time to kickstart your health. Better Health has a range of tools and support to help - find what works for you. Visit the https://www.nhs.uk/better-health/ for more information or download the Better Health app to your phone!

Training and development opportunities

Training is recognised as an important way that the Trust can show appreciation and help you develop and work towards realising your ambitions and goals. Training, deemed suitable, can be accessed to develop you in your role. Local managers will discuss training opportunities with partners, as they would with staff. We also respect the desire of some partners to give of their time, with no ambition or wish to progress to different roles.

Local managers will work to understand your ambitions and support you in achieving these, wherever possible. As such, the local manager/supervisor will schedule regular meetings to discuss development and support needs and may signpost towards suitable Trust training opportunities.

Latest training opportunities will also be sent via the ‘Get Involved’ volunteer e-newsletter and listed in the Volunteer and Participation Partner training directory 2024.pdf [pdf] 195KB

You may also find that your needs and desires change over time. We have a range of opportunities including face-to-face clinical roles and more strategic roles for example our patient and public panels. For the latest opportunities available please visit the Get Involved website: https://www.hacw.nhs.uk/get-involved or contact the team using the details above.

Keeping you informed

All participation partners are sent a bi-monthly e-newsletter on health and care information, within Herefordshire and Worcestershire, from the Trust to keep you up-to-date.

Participation Partner Toolbox

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