660,680 people have now signed up to volunteer for the NHS army of volunteers, an increase 250,000 in just one day.
Commenting on this, Sir Simon Stevens, NHS chief executive said: “The response we are seeing from the public to join us in our country’s greatest time of need is extraordinary.
“On behalf of everyone working in the NHS, I would like to thank each and every person who has signed up to volunteer – you will be, without a shadow of a doubt, helping us to save lives.
“These are uncertain times for all of us, but they have shown the kindness of our country, and have highlight once again just how much people value the health service and every single person working in it.
“And to anyone else considering joining the ranks of our new volunteer army: the NHS is always there for you, and now is your time to be there for us, and for each other too.”
Volunteers are due to start roles from next week and help the 1.5 million who have been asked to shield themselves from coronavirus because of underlying health conditions.
Role that will be covered by volunteers include:
- delivering medicines from pharmacies;
- driving patients to appointments;
- bringing them home from hospital;
- or making regular phone calls to check on people isolating at home.
Can I become a volunteer?
To comply with the UK’s current ‘Stay at Home’ rules you can only volunteer to carry out those tasks which involve leaving your home if you fulfil ALL of the conditions below:
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- You are well and have no symptoms like a cough or high temperature and neither does anybody in your household
- You are under 70
- You are not pregnant
- You do not have any long-term health conditions that make you vulnerable to coronavirus
I need to stay at home – can I still help?
You can sign up as a telephone ‘check in and chat’ volunteer even if you are staying at home and you are in one of the groups listed above.
How do I sign up?
You can register here – you will then be asked to select from a list of tasks.
Once your registration and checks are complete you can download the GoodSAM Responders app.
Local volunteer tasks will be pushed to your phone with an alert when you switch the app to ‘on duty’.
