The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust and Volunteer Impact VMS

The Challenge

The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SATH) struggled with an outdated volunteer management system that was increasingly inadequate, especially during the pandemic when volunteer numbers surged. The existing processes were error-prone, time-consuming, and caused staff to be overwhelmed. The fragmented data management further complicated volunteer coordination and tracking, making it clear that an upgrade was essential.

The Solution

Recognizing the urgent need for an efficient solution, SATH explored various options and ultimately selected Volunteer Impact VMS. As Poppy Horrocks, Volunteer Project Manager at SATH, stated, 'During the pandemic, as our volunteer numbers grew, it became very apparent that our systems and processes needed updating; we couldn't cope with the numbers coming in and we were seeing more and more errors coming up. This triggered us into looking for software to manage our volunteers.' The decision was driven by Volunteer Impact VMS's ability to streamline operations, enhance communication, and provide robust reporting tools. The implementation process was smooth, and the team quickly adapted to the new system, which centralized volunteer data and automated many manual processes.

The Results

The results of implementing Volunteer Impact VMS at SATH were transformative. The system delivered an estimated total potential time saving of 1,332 hours per year and saved staff time valued at £35,541. Furthermore, the return on investment was an impressive 3,454%. With 330 active volunteers, the software significantly improved data management and volunteer engagement. Poppy Horrocks noted, 'We have created a better volunteer community from using Volunteer Impact. Our volunteers are kept up to date with information and have an open channel to contact our team. For our team, it has put everything in one place, and we can easily manage applications and placements. It has also provided us with a tool to measure volunteer impact at the Trust. We now report on volunteer hours and the number of volunteers giving hours.' The centralized system and automated processes have empowered the volunteer management team to operate more efficiently and effectively, ensuring that volunteers feel valued and engaged.