Workforce Health and Wellbeing for Volunteers

Health screening

Health screening is used to assess your fitness to undertake the volunteer role that you have applied for.

Its primary purpose is to help prevent work-related illnesses, injuries and the spread of disease or infection. Employers have a duty of care to volunteers to ensure that they, and their workplaces, are safe and healthy in line with health and safety obligations and equality law. Work health assessments have an important role in helping employers identify and consider early on, any health condition or disability that may require adjustments being made to the workplace.

Vaccine preventable diseases

Any vaccine preventable disease that is transmissible from person to person poses a risk to those working in the health care environment. It is important that you wash your hands regularly and adhere to any infection prevention measures in place where you are working. If you are unwell due to infection you should not attend the health care setting but report that you are unwell to your manager.

All volunteers working in patient areas are screened for symptoms of Tuberculosis. They are also expected to do everything they can to protect themselves and vulnerable patients by ensuring they have protection against Measles, Rubella, Mumps and Varicella (Chicken Pox). You will be asked to provide evidence of the following as part of the occupational health check:

• Measles Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccinations/ history of disease
• Varicella (Chickenpox) vaccination/ history of disease

If you are unable to provide proof, we recommend that you contact your GP to obtain these vaccinations which are free of charge to you. This is not a mandatory requirement we enforce but something we would ask you to seriously consider. If you are applying to be a Breastfeeding Peer Support Volunteer or will be volunteering in Children's Services, the Workforce Health and Wellbeing Team can offer you these vaccinations.

Immunisation FAQs

What are Measles Mumps and Rubella diseases?

These are highly infectious diseases which can easily be spread between unvaccinated people. The viruses are contained in droplets that come out of the nose and mouth when an infected person coughs or sneezes. 

Why have the MMR vaccinations?

The MMR offers important protection for those who work with women of childbearing age. The viruses can be a serious risk to pregnant women. It can spread quickly amongst children.

What is Tuberculosis (TB)?

Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease caused by a bacterium called Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Anyone can catch TB by breathing in TB bacteria. These bacteria are in tiny droplets in the air coughed out by people with TB in their lung. In most people, if you breathe in TB bacteria your immune system – your body's natural defence - will control most of the bacteria and you will not get ill. However, if you do become ill, which can happen weeks, months or even years after you breathe in TB bacteria, this is called active TB. 
In most people, the body's immune system controls the TB bacteria, which stays in the body at a low level. You won't get ill and you're not infectious. This is called latent TB. In about five to ten out of every 100 people with latent TB, the TB bacteria can start to multiply again or reactivate and lead to symptoms of active TB. 

Who is most at risk of developing TB?

You're most at risk of developing active TB if your immune system isn't working well and you have prolonged exposure to patients with TB.

What are the symptoms of TB?

TB can affect any part of your body, not just the lungs. You may notice you have a:

• Cough and you might cough up phlegm, and it may have blood in it
• Feel generally unwell
• Losing weight
• Losing your appetite
• Fever with sweating, particularly at night
• Extreme fatigue

Seasonal vaccination against Flu and Covid are available via the Immunisation Team each year and details of how to obtain these will be forwarded by the Voluntary Services Team when appropriate.