Donor carer [1]
Our donor carers are the frontline of blood donation services. They are the first point of contact for our blood donors and care for them while they give blood.
There are no set entry requirements or formal qualifications to becoming a donor carer. However, you will need a good grasp of literacy and numeracy. If the role is for a mobile team you will also need to possess a full UK driving licence, although we will train you to drive our larger vehicles and if necessary support you in obtaining the additional category to drive large vehicles on your licence. NHSBT provide comprehensive training to undertake the donor carer role, so you don’t need a background in healthcare for this role.
Donor carers work standard hours of around 37.5 a week. Some may work evenings and weekends. You'll move around between locations to collect blood, as part of a team. In the NHS, you'll typically be on Agenda for Change band 3.
As a donor carer, you'll need to interact with lots of people, so you will need to be friendly and confident with good customer care skills. You will also need the ability to work within a team and have excellent communication skills. You'll need to carefully follow the written procedures required to collect blood safely, so an eye for detail is key. Confidence working with computers and other digital devices is also important. You will also need to be physically fit to be able to carry and set up the donation equipment.
With experience, you could become a donor care supervisor, overseeing the work of donor carers, organising rotas, etc. You could then become a manager, responsible for donor sessions and staff across an area. You may be able to move into other wider health care roles such as clerk, health records staff or healthcare assistant. You could apply to train for other roles including assistant practitioner or nurse.