VOLUNTEER ROLES SUMMARY

Role Title: / Healthwatch Ambassador
Why we want you: / Everyone in Lancashire should know that the Healthwatch Lancashire exists and how to contact it. We need people to help spread the word and to help people tell us their views so that we can pass these on to the people responsible for managing health and social care services.
Commitment: / The ambassador’s role is wide-ranging. Ambassadors may help distribute newsletters, staff a stand at an event or put up posters in a library. Others may deliver a presentation on the Healthwatch Lancashire to a local group or attend a patient experience group to represent the Healthwatch Lancashire.
Some ambassadors have a more specific role, representing Healthwatch Lancashire among people with a long term condition (e.g. diabetes), in a particular sector of the community or a particular GP practice or consortium. Whatever your role, we will ensure that you receive appropriate training and support.
Role Title: / Healthwatch Lancashire Enter and View Volunteer
Why we want you: / Healthwatch Lancashire has the right by law to appoint voluntary representatives to enter and view adult health and social care premises. Appointed volunteers look at the delivery of health and social care services in these premises and gather feedback from those receiving the services. Volunteers will receive appropriate training before undertaking this role.
Commitment: / The Enter and View visiting programme will vary, but it is unlikely you would be asked to undertake more than two or three visits per month. The size of the team may vary according to the size of the premises, but there will never be less than two members.
Role Title: / Healthwatch Lancashire Mystery Shopper
Why we want you: / Mystery shoppers are members of the public who agree to test services to see what works and what doesn’t. As a mystery shopper, you may be asked to visit or ring a service to ask specific questions, to try to find a specific service online or to ‘trial’ draft forms or leaflets. A meeting will usually be held afterwards to discuss outcomes.
Commitment: / The Mystery Shopper programme will vary, but it is unlikely you would be asked to undertake more than two tasks per month. Expenses will be paid.
Role Title: / Healthwatch Lancashire Consultation Volunteer / Reader
Why we want you: / A large number of documents around health and social care come out every month. Some of them are quite complex and although supposed to be ‘user friendly’ are not. We need people who will commit to reading any documents that are relevant to a specific area of health or social care. You will read these documents, pick out important points to bring to Healthwatch Lancashire’s attention and also highlight jargon, inconsistencies and inaccuracies.
Commitment: / This will be on an ‘ad hoc’ basis
Role Title: / Healthwatch Lancashire Board Member (N.B. you must be elected to serve as a Board Member)
Why we want you: / Healthwatch Lancashire operates in localities (North, East and Central) and the Board steers and participates in the work of Healthwatch Lancashire and ensures that the people of Lancashire have a say in the services they receive.
Commitment: / Healthwatch Lancashire holds at least six full Board meetings per year, plus several extraordinary Board meetings. Meetings are usually held in the Leyland area. Board members are expected to attend at least 50% of these, including 30 minute pre-meetings. Each locality also holds a monthly meeting for Board members and staff to review progress and look at any new issues which have come up. Where a member cannot attend a locality or Board meeting we ask that apologies are submitted as soon as possible, preferably 24 hours prior to the meeting. If three meetings in a row are missed, members may be asked to explain their absence.
Board members must commit to a Healthwatch Lancashire work stream (health care, social care or mental health). They are asked to provide feedback, preferably in the form of a written report, on any activities attended on behalf of the Healthwatch Lancashire.
Role title: / Healthwatch Lancashire Voluntary Administrator
Why we want you: / Lancashire is a big place and keeping in touch with our members is a demanding job. You can take part in the work of Healthwatch Lancashire by helping us send out our newsletter or a mail shot, or by providing support to meetings.
Commitment: / Tasks may include:
·  Sorting and posting newsletters/mailshots
·  Arranging venues for meetings
·  Preparing agendas for meetings
·  Taking notes of meetings
Role title: / Healthwatch Lancashire PLACE Assessor
Why we want you: / Healthwatch Lancashire requires volunteers to undertake assessments to provide an annual snap shop that gives hospitals a clear picture of how their environment is seen by those using it, and how they can improve. Members will receive appropriate training before undertaking this role.
Commitment: / ·  Full day or half days dependent on area/s being assessed. Volunteers have to be able for full days if it is envisaged that the assessment will take a day.