Case Worker At Doctors of the World UK

Role Title

Volunteer Caseworker

Reporting to

Remote service and Volunteers Lead.

Programme Lead – clinic and remote services &

Clinic and Remote service Coordinator

Overview

Doctors of the World UK is part of the global Médecins du Monde network, which delivers over 300 projects in more than 70 countries through 3,000 volunteers.

In the UK, we provide acute medical care and advocacy from a drop-in clinic in east London, and from our remote advice line and casework services. We support some of society’s most marginalised people to access mainstream health services.

We believe that every person has the right to healthcare, and will advocate tirelessly on behalf of those facing barriers to access it.

By working with us, you will directly support people to access healthcare, helping them to overcome bureaucratic obstacles and providing much-needed practical support.

The needs of our service users are varied, so is the support that we offer: some may require access to antenatal care, termination of pregnancies, mental health support, inhalers, to register with GPs, and more.

When a service user calls, we check whether they are aware of the current COVID-19 guidance (including Covid-19 vaccinations), screen for symptoms, and ensure they have access to relevant information in their community language. We then book them in for a face-to-face appointment in our East London clinic, where we will support them with GP registration, offer HIV & STI testing and bridge them with other relevant services.

We offer remote support to those service users who are based outside of London.

Our services are staffed with volunteer support workers, caseworkers, nurses, and GPs. These volunteers provide a highly empathetic and practical service to our service users, making a real difference to people’s lives.

Our effective, committed, and enthusiastic team is always looking to incorporate new volunteers. If you are passionate about access to healthcare and enjoy working in a team on often complex and challenging cases, then you should consider becoming a Doctors of the World volunteer!

You will gain experience of working inside a humanitarian organisation making a real difference, and will have the opportunity to gain and develop further transferrable skills through the variety of engaging work you will be involved in as well as training sessions. Our small team is committed to volunteers’ development and is dedicated to providing twice weekly debriefs and regular one to one supervision sessions

As an organisation running thanks to volunteers, we look to provide them with opportunities to develop their skills and leadership. Volunteers’ feedback is structured to directly mould the delivery of our service. Volunteers are not expected to remain static within their role but are encouraged to develop their own areas of interest within the organisation (e.g. carrying out research; representing the organisation; getting involved in programme planning; working on in-depth case work).

Job Purpose

Caseworkers are the main point of contact for service users who call the advice line. They carry out interviews with service users to determine their needs and to provide appropriate advice and support. Caseworkers act as advocates and liaise with NHS service providers to link the service users to the care they need.

Volunteers will be based at home. They will be able to opt either for a morning shift where they will answer calls of the advice line or for an afternoon shift where they will carry out follow ups on current complex cases.

Commitment required: Either two mornings a week (Advice line 9.45am-1pm) for a minimum of 3 months. Or two afternoons a week (12-5pm) for a minimum of 3 months.

Key Duties

• First point of contact for service users in health promotion setting.
• Listening to service user’s needs and identifying other support services.
• Completing data collection forms with the service user.
• Helping service users with registration and administration needs & advocating on their behalf to NHS services.
• Taking on in depth and complex casework where service users may face significant

barriers to accessing healthcare.

• Responding to queries on our advice line.

General

• To be open to change and demonstrate a flexible and adaptable approach.
• To work collaboratively with others and be a supportive and effective team member.
• To ensure that all activities undertaken on behalf of Doctors of the World UK, externally or internally, are executed in accordance with the overall aims of the organisation and in line with our policies and procedures.
• To participate in training and other activities as requested by the organisation.

Stakeholder and Customer Service

• To provide quality customer service to all our respective audiences and stakeholders and comply with our quality management protocols.

Key Working Contacts

• All internal staff and volunteers; Service users, NHS services and other healthcare providers.

This is not intended to be an exhaustive list. Your role profile may be subject to change.

PERSONAL COMPETENCIES

Competency Title

The successful candidate will be able to:

Communicating with others

• Demonstrate effective communication – sharing information, ideas and experiences.

Team working and interpersonal skills

• Commitment to work co-operatively with others and the understanding to influence others to achieve objectives in an effective way.
• Cooperate in their team and across Doctors of the World UK, respects and listens to different views/opinions, welcome new staff and volunteers to Doctors of the World UK, treat all people with respect and avoid any behaviour which is, or might be seen as less than honourable.

Managing Resources

• Ensure proper use of Doctors of the World UK’s resources and information, do not disclose or use Doctors of the UK information outside the normal requirements of their role and do not misuse Doctors of the World systems (e.g. IT).

Drives Continuous Improvement

• Show flexibility, a willing approach towards change and striving for continuous improvement**.**

Customer Services

• To listen to and address the needs of others as customers, including service users. It includes seeking and welcoming feedback from others and acting on that feedback.
• Deal with customers in a courteous and polite manner and that they respond to queries efficiently and effectively.

Managing Yourself

• Take a proactive and flexible approach to maintaining and developing own knowledge and skill base.

Delivery and Meeting Business Plan

• To understand what needs to be done; stretches to deliver it effectively.
• Demonstrate a positive ‘can do’ attitude, stretches their performance standards and balances long term requirements against short term objectives.

SPECIFIC SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE & PERSONAL QUALITIES

The successful candidate will have:

Essential

• The desire to help people in vulnerable situations.
• Non-judgemental attitude towards service users from diverse backgrounds.
• Good social and communication skills.
• Confident telephone manner.
• Computer literacy – Microsoft systems, Microsoft Office and Google.

Desirable

• Fluency in other languages.
• Confident working with interpreting services.

Why volunteering with Doctors of the World?

As a volunteer with Doctors of the World, you can expect to:

• Feel supported and included in the team.

• Be supported to develop your own skills and experience.

• Have a debrief after each session.

• Receive a monthly newsletter.

• Have your views on the development of the organisation and the inclusion of volunteers heard by the organisation.

• Be provided with training on topics and skills identified as necessary by yourself and other colleagues.

• Receive £10 travel and £4 food reimbursement for each day’s volunteering to cover expenses (expenses claims forms are in the clinic. Please don’t wait longer than a month to claim – and please do keep your receipts – or register your oyster so you can print off your journey history. Just fill in the form, give it to a supervisor and an electronic bank transfer will be made to your account).

• HR references can be provided on request (only once volunteers have met their agreed minimum commitment) – please note that organisational policy states that these must be factual references only.

Please Note

-Using the role description, person specification and information provided, please detail why you are suitable for the role in the application form. Please draw on relevant past experience and training (e.g. experience working with vulnerable groups) to complete this section.

– The HR onboarding and induction process may take several weeks. Please take this into account when applying, to make sure that our minimum commitment request matches your availability.

Volunteers should be able to start volunteering within 3 weeks from the interview.