Transforming healthcare volunteering
Guided by our vision of a nation where volunteering is integral to healthcare at its very best, we partner with hundreds of UK healthcare organisations – unleashing the power of volunteers to deliver measurable benefits for patients, staff, and service users.
Our achievements to date
Improving the lives of patients, staff and volunteers
By providing unrivalled volunteering knowledge, data, and analysis to NHS and community partners, Helpforce has greatly extended its reach and impact – measurably improving the lives of more patients, more staff, and more volunteers.
We have helped
910954
patients
130850
staff
77677
volunteers
103
organisations
910954
patients
130850
staff
77677
volunteers
103
organisations
Spotlight news
Voluntary Sector Recognition in the NHS 10-Year Health Plan: An Encouraging Step Forward
We at Helpforce are pleased that the Government's has recognised the importance of healthcare volunteering in the long-awaited NHS 10-Year Health Plan, which has been unveiled today.
Neighbourhood Health Services are to be rolled out across the country, bringing diagnostics, mental health, post-op, rehab, and nursing to people’s doorsteps – and it's envisaged that volunteers will play a meaningful role in these teams.
Our services
We work like a consultancy, and will start our partnership by finding out more about the challenges organisations face. Once we understand their situation, we will work with them to deliver volunteering solutions that help meet their challenges.
Find out more about our services below.
Find out more about our services below.
Developing volunteering services
Our expert team takes organisations through a tried and tested consultation process – Adopt and Adapt – to establish volunteer services that tackle their organisational challenges, fit their situation, and optimise integration between health and community services.
Building future workforce
We help organisations build and maintain their workforces through our Helpforce Volunteer to Career programme™, which allows people to explore a career in health and care, while volunteering.
Evaluating volunteers' impact
We build robust assessments into all our partnership projects and can evaluate other volunteering services. We have built up a unique bank of over 230 evidence findings.
Sharing volunteering expertise through the Helpforce Network
The Helpforce Network is a free online peer community for professionals from statutory and voluntary sector organisations with an interest in volunteering in health and care. Members join the Network to share their knowledge, learn from their peers and find practical support and resources - helping them to improve their volunteering management practiceCase studies
Eunice's story
Mahmuda's story
Eunice Somade loved her job at Lagos University Teaching Hospital but she and her family were in daily fear of frequent violence, kidnappings, and threats in the city. She came to the UK in 2022 knowing it would not be easy to gain work in the NHS - but thanks to a unique ‘Volunteer to Career’ programme, she now applies her 27 years’ experience to caring for the elderly as a hospital staff nurse.
Chetan's story
Volunteers drivers save trust £200k
Chetan Bhakri optimises what it means to donate the gift of time to help others. A busy full-time software consultant, he could be forgiven for kicking-back in front of the tv of a weekend or relaxing with friends. But instead, the 50-year-old from New Malden puts on his volunteer uniform every Saturday and Sunday night and reports for duty at Kingston Hospital.
With a smile that radiates kindness, Chetan helps out in the hospital’s busy emergency department where he’s considered a key part of the team.
Helpforce's evaluation of the volunteer drivers service at North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Trust has shown that the service saved the trust more than £200,000 over a decade, against the cost of taxis. The service, which started with only eight drivers, has now grown to 28 drivers, providing invaluable support to patients and staff.
Eunice's story
Mahmuda's story
Chetan's story
Volunteers drivers save trust £200k
Case studies
Eunice Somade loved her job at Lagos University Teaching Hospital but she and her family were in daily fear of frequent violence, kidnappings, and threats in the city. She came to the UK in 2022 knowing it would not be easy to gain work in the NHS - but thanks to a unique ‘Volunteer to Career’ programme, she now applies her 27 years’ experience to caring for the elderly as a hospital staff nurse.
Mahmuda Khanum never imagined she could land a job in the NHS after spending years working for a debt collection company, but thanks to a unique ‘Volunteer to Career’ programme she is now close to becoming a dietician.
Chetan Bhakri optimises what it means to donate the gift of time to help others. A busy full-time software consultant, he could be forgiven for kicking-back in front of the tv of a weekend or relaxing with friends. But instead, the 50-year-old from New Malden puts on his volunteer uniform every Saturday and Sunday night and reports for duty at Kingston Hospital.
With a smile that radiates kindness, Chetan helps out in the hospital’s busy emergency department where he’s considered a key part of the team.
Helpforce's evaluation of the volunteer drivers service at North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Trust has shown that the service saved the trust more than £200,000 over a decade, against the cost of taxis. The service, which started with only eight drivers, has now grown to 28 drivers, providing invaluable support to patients and staff.
Our partners
We collaborate with diverse organisations across the healthcare system, from Integrated Health Boards and individual NHS Trusts, to social care groups and hospices. Take a look at some of our partners below.
“Helpforce’s expertise has supported us to design a highly-effective, volunteer-led falls prevention service that meets the needs of our local community. We’re proud of the impact it has had on patients, staff, and our incredible volunteers.”
Jo Farrar, Chief Executive, Kingston and Richmond NHS Foundation Trust
“Thank you Helpforce for supporting us to go even further and faster to develop our well-established volunteering offer within our hospitals. They are a delight to work with.”
Merav Dover, Chief of Staff to CEO Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and SRO National Discharge and Flow
“We are deeply grateful to all volunteers who improve our patient experience and would certainly recommend the Volunteer to Career programme to anyone interested in joining the NHS.”
Dr Martin Kuper, Chief Executive of Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Trust
Latest news from Helpforce
Discover insights from Helpforce - Sign up for our monthly newsletters
Subscribe