South West London and St Georges Mental Health NHS Trust

Volunteer PAT Dog (Tolworth)

The closing date is 10 December 2025

Job summary

Would you like to make a difference in the lives of people experiencing mental health challenges? Join us as a PAT Dog Volunteer and bring comfort, joy, and companionship to service users across our mental health wards. Your presence and interaction with your therapy dog can help reduce anxiety, promote emotional wellbeing, and support recovery.

Career Progression pathways and development opportunities

We're committed to supporting volunteers in achieving their career goals. This role offers a pathway into Bank positions and includes access to ongoing training in key areas such as Safeguarding, Health and Safety, and Equality and Diversity. Volunteering with us provides valuable experience that can support progression into paid employment, and we're happy to provide references for volunteers who complete their volunteering.

Main duties of the job

As a PAT Dog Volunteer, you'll visit inpatient wards with your registered therapy dog to offer companionship and emotional support to service users. You'll work alongside staff to ensure safe interactions, encourage engagement, and be mindful of your dog's wellbeing throughout each visit.

Flexible working

This role is flexible and will be scheduled on weekday which is suitable for you. Volunteers must undergo reference and ID checks and complete mandatory training before starting the role which can take several months. Interviews are due to take place November 2025.

About us

We offer flexible working, career development and a variety of benefits to enable a positive, welcoming environment in which our people and their careers can thrive.

Come and join our inclusive teams and help our patients on their recovery journey.

About our location:

Tolworth Hospital, Surbiton

Tolworth is undergoing a major transformation to create modern facilities for five new wards, a central plaza, and a caf. It's close to the A3, Tolworth station, and a short bus ride from Surbiton station, with fast connections to Clapham Junction and London Waterloo.

Date posted

08 December 2025

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

Depending on experience Unpaid

Contract

Voluntary

Working pattern

Flexible working

Reference number

294-VOL-7602035-RN-A

Job locations

Tolworth Hospital

Surbiton

KT6 7QU

Job description

Job responsibilities

This role involves visiting inpatient wards with your registered PAT dog to provide companionship and emotional support to service users.

Youll help foster wellbeing and engagement through therapeutic interactions, working alongside staff to ensure safe and meaningful experiences.

Youll also support group activities and offer encouragement to service users.

The role requires prior experience as a PAT volunteer, up-to-date vaccinations and insurance for your dog, and a compassionate approach to working with people experiencing mental health challenges.

All public facing roles require a proportionate level of English language proficiency for written and verbal communication and the Trust is required to verify results of certain English language competency tests relied upon. When the fluency duty is met by the provision of a sign language interpreter, the interpreter should be registered with the National Registers of Communication Professionals working with Deaf and Deafblind People (NRCPD).

Job description

Job responsibilities

This role involves visiting inpatient wards with your registered PAT dog to provide companionship and emotional support to service users.

Youll help foster wellbeing and engagement through therapeutic interactions, working alongside staff to ensure safe and meaningful experiences.

Youll also support group activities and offer encouragement to service users.

The role requires prior experience as a PAT volunteer, up-to-date vaccinations and insurance for your dog, and a compassionate approach to working with people experiencing mental health challenges.

Person Specification

Criteria

Essential

Enthusiasm about working with people with mental health difficulties.
Reliability, being consistent and someone on whom others can count.
Being a sympathetic and supportive listener, and a good communicator.

Desirable

Having a hobby / passion / skill that you would like to share with others.

Person Specification

Criteria

Essential

Enthusiasm about working with people with mental health difficulties.
Reliability, being consistent and someone on whom others can count.
Being a sympathetic and supportive listener, and a good communicator.

Desirable

Having a hobby / passion / skill that you would like to share with others.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.