NHS: Voluntary Work

(asked on 5th May 2020) - View Source

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many and what proportion of NHS volunteer responders have been cleared to undertake tasks to support the NHS; and whether it is his policy that those volunteers should also undertake tasks in support of (a) care homes and the (b) National Care Force.


Answered by
Helen Whately Portrait
Helen Whately
Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
This question was answered on 14th May 2020

As of 7 May 2020, out of the 750,000 people who have signed up to the NHS Volunteer Responders programme, 589,731 have completed the necessary identity checks to begin helping those most vulnerable. The volunteers will undertake four community-based tasks, including shopping and collecting medication for someone who is self-isolating and telephone support to individuals at risk of loneliness.

The NHS Volunteer Responders programme was set up to provide direct support to vulnerable people, and to reduce the pressure on the National Health Service and social care during the pandemic. Social care providers and local authorities are able to refer vulnerable people into the programme, while individuals themselves and carers can now also self-refer for volunteer support. NHS England and NHS Improvement and the Department are engaging with the social care sector to consider how volunteers can further support social care services, taking into account social distancing and infection control measures.

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