Support your hospitals as a volunteer driver

Do you have a car, and some time to help support NHS staff and patients?

East Kent Hospitals is looking for people to sign up as volunteer drivers, to take small items of equipment, sealed packages, or pathology samples between our sites in Ashford, Canterbury, Dover, Folkestone and Margate.

Occasionally you may be asked to take equipment to patients’ homes or to other NHS locations.

Mandy Carliell, head of volunteering and public services, said: “This is a new role for the Trust and one that has the potential to make a real difference to our patients and staff.

“The hope is that the volunteer drivers will be able to minimise delays for our patients by transporting urgent samples, and save the Trust money by avoiding the need to use taxis.

“They could help people go home sooner, by arranging to deliver medication rather than a patient having to wait in hospital for it to be ready.

“Our existing volunteers already make a huge contribution to the running of our hospitals and I am looking forward to welcoming more to the team as volunteer drivers.”

Drivers will be able to specify the days they are available, and their preferences for journey distance and time of day, and requests will be co-ordinated by a central transport booking team.

Volunteers need a clean current driving licence, and their own vehicle which should be less than five years old. They should also have good knowledge of east Kent.

Mileage will be reimbursed at 45p per mile.

For more information, contact Mandy at mandy.carliell@nhs.net or complete the application form online at https://www.ekhuft.nhs.uk/get-involved/volunteering/volunteer-application-form/