As the national NHS treatment backlog stands at 7.3m cases and with 107,000 vacant health service roles placing medics under intense pressure, campaigners say that super-charging the number of volunteers who take on specific tasks designed to improve the flow of patients through wards and clinics could be “transformative”.
The proposal, from national healthcare volunteering charity Helpforce, reflects the immense impact that volunteers collectively have on the health service – including 75-year-old Robert Turner who donates his time to the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford, helping to transport patients home after being discharged.
And it comes as a new YouGov survey conducted for Helpforce suggests that 25% of people across the West Midlands would consider NHS volunteering.
The Princess Royal Hospital
Robert, from Ironbridge, said: “I’ve always been a huge supporter of the NHS and this is my way of giving back for care that I have received over the years, along with members of my family.”
Over 7,400 people like Robert already actively volunteer their time in NHS wards and clinics across the West Midlands, with many taking on non-clinical tasks such as collecting prescribed medication from hospital pharmacies for patients to take home, transporting blood samples from patients’ bedsides to on-site labs, or providing refreshments for patients and their families. The emphasis is on trained volunteers taking on basic tasks that alleviate pressure on doctors, nurses, and healthcare assistants – enabling medics to focus on delivering quality care.
In calling on the Government to launch “the biggest health volunteering recruitment drive since the pandemic”, Helpforce – which works with over a hundred NHS trusts across the country, including The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust – is backed by leading health organisations including NHS Providers and The Health Foundation.
NHS volunteering
Robert’s relationship with the Princess Royal Hospital dates back to the 1960s when Telford was being developed and there were initially no plans for a hospital. “There was an action committee and pressure group formed, which I was part of,” he recalled. “I kind of feel like I’ve been involved with the hospital from day one. Over the years I’ve seen both sides of the NHS, as a patient myself and as someone deeply invested in its future who recognises that it clearly needs help from wherever it can get it.”
During a visit to A&E several months ago, Robert spotted an advert for volunteer drivers, it felt like the right next step. “I thought—that might be something I’d be skilled at and would enjoy doing. On the surface, the job is simple – driving patients home after they’ve been discharged—but the impact is anything but. One of the primary goals is to try and ensure that discharges happen quickly,” Robert explained.
Since starting, Robert has made countless journeys, sometimes staying well beyond his scheduled shift to make sure patients don’t face long delays. “On one occasion I was about to leave when I was asked to drive someone to another hospital an hour away. The hospital transport couldn’t get there until 10 o’clock. That would have meant four extra hours waiting for a bed. I was glad I could step in.”
NHS volunteering
What makes the role so rewarding for Robert is the people. “The team of nurses in the discharge lounge are just fantastic—so welcoming. They very quickly made me feel part of the team. And the patients—they’re just very, very thankful and it’s heart-warming when they express their gratitude.”
The YouGov poll, which coincides with the launch of Helpforce’s new ‘Giving Back, Transforming Care’ awareness campaign, highlighted that that over two-thirds (67%) of people in the West Midlands support the idea of a mass NHS volunteer recruitment drive.
Helpforce chief executive, Amerjit Chohan, said: “After years of deep-rooted system-level challenges, the NHS remains under intense pressure, despite the valiant efforts of its staff and legions of existing volunteers. Out in communities, people feel the effects of long waiting lists and stretched services. It’s clear from YouGov’s poll that a swathe of the public across the West Midlands is willing to step forward and do what they can to help – just like Robert did.
Helpforce CEO Amerjit Chohan
“We are calling on the Government to invest in the biggest health volunteering recruitment drive since the pandemic, with a focus on attracting people into roles that improve overall hospital efficiency –crucially leading to a reduction in the length of treatment waiting lists.
“YouGov’s poll reveals that 25% of people in the West Midlands would consider volunteering for the NHS – equivalent to a potential pool of around 1.2 million individuals. Even if only two per cent could be enticed into volunteering roles that would result in NHS trusts across the region being bolstered by approximately 24,000 additional committed helpers. While volunteering can’t solve all the NHS’ problems, evidence shows that it has a significant contribution to make.”
As well as acting as volunteer drivers, trained ‘response volunteer’ roles can include ferrying prescribed medication and blood samples across hospital sites, escorting patients needing diagnostic tests or x-rays, providing general refreshments for those receiving and giving care, and restocking cupboards with bedding supplies, aprons and masks.
Julia Clarke, Director of Public Participation at The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, said: “Robert embodies the very best of the NHS spirit, giving his time selflessly to improve the experience of others. We are proud to celebrate the impact he makes every single day, alongside scores of other volunteers.”
Helpforce’s own research found that 86% of frontline NHS staff nationwide believe that support from trained volunteers improves the care they can provide – underlining that volunteers are not intended to replace healthcare professionals, but to instead complement them.
And the charity’s evidence suggests that for every 10,000 new NHS ‘response volunteers’ recruited, 1.1 million hours of annual efficiency gains can be achieved by the health service.
Daniel Elkeles, Chief Executive of NHS Providers, said: “Tens of thousands of highly motivated volunteers of all ages and from all walks of life already gift their time and talents to NHS trusts nationwide and there is growing evidence that they make a significant contribution – not only improving the experiences of patients receiving healthcare, but also in terms of enhancing the working lives of the health professionals they support.
“Forward-thinking NHS trusts no longer view volunteering programmes as a ‘nice-to-have’ and instead regard them as a strategic imperative. There would be clear merit in a high-profile, government-led recruitment drive.”
When asked what would motivate them to volunteer for the NHS, the top reasons given by those who took part in the YouGov poll at a national level were: making a difference to someone’s life, giving back to the NHS, and gaining a sense of purpose.
People interested in healthcare volunteering opportunities in their local area can visit the NHS Volunteering website.