Frequently Asked Questions

From submitting your application to being placed in your chosen volunteering role, it takes between 8-12 weeks until you are ready to start volunteering. This is because of the induction training period and Disclosure Scotland checks which must be completed before you can start. At points in the year this can be longer if we are experiencing high demand.

If you successfully pass your volunteer interview, part of the process of becoming a volunteer with NHS Lothian requires you to produce criminal records check documents or ‘Certificates of Good Character’ (sometimes known as police checks). We require these documents from any country where you have lived outside of the UK for 12 consecutive months or more in the last 5 years, while aged 18 or over, with the exception of; Germany, Lithuania, Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Hungary, Greece, France, Ireland, Italy, Spain, Poland.

Guidance on how to apply for these can be found here. Please look up the country/countries applicable to you.

Where a country is unable to provide you with a certificate or to do so would not be possible for you, please let us know as soon as possible so that we can discuss next steps. If you already have criminal records check documents or ‘Certificates of Good Character’ from the countries you have lived in, you can provide these to us once you successfully pass your interview to volunteer.

Effective from 16 May 2023

The Scottish Government has advised that staff, patients, volunteers and members of the public will no longer be required to wear a face covering or mask at all times whilst in any health or social care setting. This applies in hospital, community health settings and where care is provided in the patient’s own home.

As result, it is no longer a requirement for you as volunteers to routinely wear a face covering or mask during your volunteering or for members of the public to do so whilst on our sites. From the 16 May 2023, if mask wearing is required in order to meet Infection Prevention & Control requirements, you will be advised of this by a member of staff prior to or during your volunteering shift

The change of policy reflects high uptake of COVID-19 vaccination, the reduction in severe disease and continued reduction in hospital admissions with COVID-19 across NHS Scotland.

Some patients, members of the public and volunteers may continue to choose to wear a face covering whilst attending our hospital sites or other health premises and we will endeavour to support this.

NHS Lothian volunteers can claim out of pocket expenses.  Read the Volunteer Expenses Procedure for more details.

All volunteer are provided with an ID badge and uniform T-shirt or Polo Shirt and those who volunteer outside or at our main entrances also receive a fleece.  Wearing a uniform is required to ensure that volunteers are easily identifiable and for infection control.  More information is provided about this in our induction training. 

“Since being issued with the T and Polo shirts in April 2020, I have felt a real identity as a volunteer. You can spot a volunteer at a distance, with the colour so distinctive and people seem to readily spot the branded motif. Since September, helping at a pre-school immunisation clinic in Edinburgh, again the polo shirt lets the staff know you’re a volunteer and parents have asked me how long I have been a volunteer. Wear it with pride!”  – John WGH

All volunteers will participate in a general induction course that covers key issues such as confidentiality, boundaries, safeguarding and health and safety.  Volunteers also receive a one to one local induction specific to their role and the location they are volunteering.

At this time the general induction is being delivered virtually over MS Teams and full joining instructions are provided one week prior to the start date. Training takes place over 2 consecutive weeks and each session is approximately 2 hours long.

We ask for a minimum commitment of two or more hours a week for a minimum of six months but we are delighted than many of our volunteers give more than 2 hours a week and/or volunteer for longer than 6 months.  Every year during National Volunteers Week, the Voluntary Services Team distribute long services awards for 5, 10 and 15 years’ service.  This year we gave out over 100 long service awards.

“Having started in October 2019 on a ward at the Western General, I found myself working one day per week, for 2 to 3 hours. My regular duties were a tea and coffee run followed by emptying and refreshing the clinical waste, patient en-suite and bed table bags. During the summer months of 2020, I was part of a team working with the Arts group for about 9 days over a three-week period. Since September 2020, I have been working from 8.30 until 4.00 on a Friday, supporting the nurse who runs pre-school immunisation clinic. This demonstrates a flexible working pattern which has not only provided great experience, but also has aligned with my own availability to support in a volunteer capacity.”  -John WGH

We ask our volunteers to make a minimum commitment of six months this is to ensure consistency to our patients and families.  However, we understand that things can change and that from time to time volunteers are not able to volunteer as planned.  In these circumstances, we are keen that volunteers speak to their Voluntary Services Manager who will be able to arrange an alternative placement at a time or location that suits better or negotiate a break and stay in touch until the volunteer is able to recommence volunteering.

“Because of my age, I had to take a break from volunteering (as a Ward helper) during the Covid crisis. When I returned eight months later, it was lovely to be recognised and welcomed back by the Ward staff – I had not been forgotten!”   – Elisabeth RIE

It can sometimes be hard for volunteers to say that they want to stop volunteering but it is important that if a volunteer wants to stop volunteering that they let the Voluntary Services team know.  This is so that we can; gather feedback on your experience so we can continually improve the volunteer experience;  so we are aware of the vacancy and can begin to recruit a replacement; so we can say thank you and good bye.

Volunteers participate in a comprehensive induction programme which address a number of safety issues such as infection control, fire safety and more.  Each role is risk assessed on an annual basis to ensure that appropriate measure are in place to mitigate risk. All individual volunteers participate in an occupational health declaration and if required an assessment to ensure that they are matched with an appropriate role.

“In my experience, there is an underlying care for volunteers in whichever role I have been working. Having worked in a ward kitchen with hot tea pots and a high-speed dishwasher, or been lifting and delivering heavy boxes, or supporting a nurse in a health centre, in every situation, there has been a conscious intent towards volunteer safety. On the ward there has always been aprons and gloves to wear. In other circumstances there is less need for protection, and each situation can be assessed as appropriate.”

Unfortunately, there are times when NHS Lothian does not have a vacancy that is appropriate, or at the right time or location for a potential volunteer.  In those circumstances, we would signpost volunteers to their local Volunteer Centre who would be able to provide support to find a suitable volunteering opportunity.

Volunteer Edinburgh
222 Leith Walk, Edinburgh, EH6 5EQ. 0131 561 8300

Volunteer Midlothian 
32/6 Hardengreen Industrial Estate, Dalkeith, EH22 3NX. 0131 660 1216

Volunteer Centre East Lothian
56 High Street, Tranent, Scotland, EH33 1HH. 01875 615423

Voluntary Sector Gateway West Lothian
20-22 King Street, Bathgate, EH48 1AX. 07712 521850

If you currently live outside of the UK and hope to move to the UK in the near future, NHS Lothian’s Voluntary Services team is not currently able to sponsor visa applications of this nature. 

If you have any questions which are not answered on this page, please get in touch at volunteer.enquiries@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk.