All NHS Boards have now received a Chief Executive's Letter which contains details on the Scottish Government's Refreshed Strategy for Volunteering in NHS Scotland and the actions required of NHS Boards.

In particular the Scottish Government has said that all Health Boards will be required to achieve Investing in Volunteers, the UK Quality Standard which benchmarks organisations commitment to high quality volunteer involvement, by 31 March 2011.

Chief Executive's Letter 

As part of the Refreshed Strategy for Volunteering in the NHS in Scotland each Health Board nominated a designated person within their Board area who would lead on volunteering.

Designated Person in each Health Board

Volunteer Development Scotland is delighted that Professor Heather Tierney-Moore, Nurse Director at NHS Lothian is Chairing the National Group which will provide national leadership for the implementation and on going development of the Refreshed Strategy. 

The first meeting of the National Group took place on Tuesday 25th March at Deaconess House, Edinburgh. 

Membership of the National Group

VDS & the Refreshed Strategy for the NHS Scotland

Minutes

Presentation on the Refreshed Strategy for the National Group

Presentation on the Strategic Partnership for the National Group

Presentation on the Chief Executive's Letter for the National Group

Agenda for 2nd Meeting

The Volunteering Impact Assessment Toolkit enables organisations to assess the impact of volunteering on all key stakeholders - the volunteers, the organisation, the beneficiaries, and the broader community. Organisations can use it to assess a wide range of impacts, from the skills development of volunteers to the economic value of volunteering organisations.

The Volunteering Impact Assessment Toolkit is being piloted in parts of the NHS and the Glasgow Breastfeeding Initiative is taking part in the pilot along with NHS Lothian; NHS Borders; the State Hospital and NHS Quality Improvement Scotland. 

Volunteer Development Scotland will support this pilot work and a final report on the pilot is planned for June this year. It is our intention to share the results of the pilot work with the NHS as a whole through publication of the report here on the web and through regional roadshow events in Autumn of this year.
 
Volunteering Impact Assessment Toolkit

As part of the Refreshed Strategy for Volunteering in NHS Scotland the Scottish Government has said that all Health Boards will be required to achieve Investing in Volunteers, the UK Quality Standard which benchmarks organisations commitment to high quality volunteer involvement, by 31 March 2011.

Guide to Achieving Investing in Volunteers for NHS Scotland

Volunteering in Scotland's NHS can bring considerable benefits to patients, their families and carers, NHS staff, NHS Boards and to the volunteers themselves. In this 11 minute DVD volunteers, patients/users, and NHS staff share their experiences and views about volunteering in Scotland's NHS. The DVD profiles volunteering in a primary and in an acute setting - the Community Mothers Project in Stirling which supports breastfeeding and the Dialysis Unit at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. 
 
The DVD also introduces the Scottish Government plans for volunteering in the NHS and Volunteer Development Scotland hopes it will be a useful resource to people who are interested in developing volunteering in Scotland's NHS.

Community Mothers Project in Stirling

Dialysis Unit at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh

 If you have examples of volunteering within the NHS Volunteer Development Scotland and the Directorate for Health & Wellbeing would love to know about them.  Please complete the template below:

 Case Study Template

Some examples of volunteering within the NHS will be available here soon.

The story of the Scottish Government's Refreshed Strategy for Volunteering in NHS Scotland.

Story of the Refreshed Strategy for Volunteering in NHS Scotland

Rocket Science Reports from the Consultation

• Annex 1 - Development of a Strategy for Volunteering
• Annex 2 - Consultation survey of volunteer Centres
• Annex 3 - Consultation survey of voluntary organisations
• Annex 4 - Focus groups Research with volunteers

Volunteer Development Scotland Reports from the Consultation

• Annex 5 - Consultation event at the National Forum on Older Volunteering
• Annex 6 - Consultation event for members of Volunteer Development Scotland
• Annex 7 - Consultation at the Asylum Seekers Conference

Volunteer Development Scotland submitted draft proposals to the Scottish Government Directorate for Health and Wellbeing on a Refreshed Strategy for Volunteering in NHS Scotland

Shona Robison, Minister for Public Health, announced a draft refreshed strategy for volunteering in the NHS on 5 December 2007 at the Volunteer Development Scotland “Volunteering in the NHS”  Assembly event held at Dynamic Earth, Edinburgh. 

• Assembly Programme
• Debbie Adams presentation
• Gill Keel presentation
• Ministers Speech
• Speakers biographies

Shona Robison talked about the benefits that volunteering in Scotland’s NHS brings to patients, their families and carers, NHS staff and to the volunteers themselves.

This Action Plan, published in December 2007, sets out the Government's programme to deliver a healthier Scotland by helping people to sustain and improve their health, especially in disadvantaged communities, ensuring better, local and faster access to health care.  The report is informed by the response to the consultation on Better Health, Better Care: A Discussion Document (August 2007).

The Action Plan states
"Working together with Volunteer Development Scotland, we will refresh the strategy on NHS Volunteering, recognising the various roles played by the third sector and considering how best to recognise the role played by volunteers. Action Plan