NHS volunteers 'can make powerful contribution' to future of health service
NHS England estimates that 70,000 volunteers support services across England at any one time, contributing six million hours annually
The chief executive of NHS England has urged members of the public to consider volunteering with the health service.
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Sir Jim Mackey said volunteering schemes can make a “powerful contribution” to the future of the NHS.
It comes as figures from healthcare volunteering charity Helpforce show its programmes have supported more than one million people in the last three years.
This includes 910,954 patients, 130,850 NHS staff and 77,677 volunteers.
Elsewhere, NHS England estimates that 70,000 volunteers support services across England at any one time, contributing six million hours annually.
Sir Jim said: “Volunteers have long been an important part of the DNA of the NHS – whether that’s providing additional support to patients, helping to improve the wellbeing of our frontline teams, or boosting investment in key improvements to local services.
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“There is a valuable and enduring desire for people to support the NHS and their communities – from the volunteer stewards helping to run Covid vaccine centres, to volunteers helping patients return home from hospital, or boosting outreach efforts to improve the health of communities the NHS often struggles to reach.
“As we focus on delivering the ambitions of the 10-Year Health Plan, well-designed volunteering initiatives can make a powerful contribution to what we’ve got to achieve and certainly shouldn’t be an afterthought.
“And to any members of the public who want to get involved in their local communities, please do consider volunteering with the NHS; our portal at volunteering.england.nhs.uk provides a one stop shop to find opportunities close to you.”
A survey of 766 frontline NHS staff by Helpforce found almost nine in 10 (87%) agree that volunteer involvement improves quality of care.
Meanwhile, a poll of 802 healthcare professionals found 79% think support from volunteers improved their working lives.
Amerjit Chohan, chief executive of Helpforce, said: “Sir Jim’s comments reflect a growing consensus among health leaders.
“This is a pivotal moment for NHS volunteering. When volunteering is aligned to operational priorities – whether that’s discharge, outpatient flow or neighbourhood care – it delivers measurable gains for patients and staff alike.
“This isn’t about volunteers replacing healthcare professionals – it’s about complementing doctors and nurses and freeing them up to undertake the kind of complex duties that they are trained to perform.”
He added that there are hundreds of roles volunteers can take up in the NHS.
“It used to be the case that NHS volunteers were largely confined to hospital reception and cafe duties,” Mr Chohan said.
“While such remits remain hugely valuable, there are now a staggering 300 different volunteering roles available – including pharmacy runners, mealtime companions and volunteer discharge drivers.
“Sir Jim is right to say that volunteering cannot sit on the margins. It needs board-level ownership within NHS trusts, robust governance and a clear link to system objectives. When that happens, the results are transformative.”