Volunteers helping out with COVID-19

The Secretary of State has asked Helpforce to help drive a programme of work forward by:

• Working with NHS trusts to define what roles could most usefully be filled by volunteers, both skilled and unskilled, to help ensure the safe running of our health services
• Testing potential volunteer based interventions, including onboarding and safeguarding arrangements, in three NHS trusts (Chelsea and Westminster, Northumbria, South Warwickshire) ahead of rapid rollout more widely
• Supporting the NHS in targeted volunteer recruitment campaigns, as part of planned efforts, for example with employee volunteering
• Advising the Government rapidly on how best to safely and efficiently maximise the use of volunteers in the NHS to support the effort against coronavirus.