Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the policy paper entitled Plan for patients, published September 2022, if she will (a) make a renewed call for NHS volunteers, or (b) plans to work through local charities and NHS providers.

There is a current need for additional National Health Service volunteers to support the COVID-19 booster vaccine programme through the NHS Volunteer Responders programme and for volunteer vaccinators through a partnership with St John Ambulance. This is being managed on a regional basis. During the winter, there may be further calls for volunteer support which would be met with relevant NHS providers or voluntary organisations locally or nationally.