Coronavirus: 750,000 people sign up to join NHS Volunteer Responders to fight covid-19

A staggering three-quarters-of-a-million people have signed up to become an NHS Volunteer Responder, the Health Secretary announced today (Monday).

There are now 750,000 people ready to join in the national effort to fight coronavirus and help up to 1.5m of those with underlying health conditions.

The appeal exceeded its expectation, having only expected 250,000 volunteers to sign up to deliver simple but vital tasks to members of the public.

Those who have offered their services will be called upon for things like:

• Delivering medicines from pharmacies

• Driving patients to appointments

• Bringing them home from hospital

• Making regular phone calls to check on people isolating at home

The NHS Volunteer Responders scheme is not intended to replace local groups helping their vulnerable neighbours, but is an additional service provided by the NHS.

GPs, doctors, pharmacists, nurses, midwives, NHS 111 advisers and social care staff will be able to request help for their at-risk patients via a call centre run by the Royal Voluntary Service (RVS), who will match people who need help with volunteers who live near to them. Some charities will also be able to refer people to the service.

Health and Social Care Secretary, Matt Hancock, said: “In these extraordinary times, it’s essential that we all pull together as part of the national effort to protect the most vulnerable, reduce pressures on our NHS and care system and save lives.

“If you are well and able to do so safely, I would urge you to sign up today to help the most vulnerable people in our communities as an NHS Volunteer Responder.

“Your help has the potential to make a real difference to some of those most affected by this outbreak — from delivering essential prescriptions to calling to check on the wellbeing of those self-isolating.

“I am immensely proud of how the whole country is coming together to help one another — we must continue to listen to and live by the latest medical and scientific advice and through this national effort we can truly make a difference.”

Members of the public can sign up quickly and easily at goodsamapp.org/NHS

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