NHS and Care Volunteer Responders Service

Earl of Effingham Excerpts

Tuesday 20th May 2025 Lords Chamber

[The Earl of Effingham (Con)]

My Lords, the NHS and Care Volunteer Responders service has completed more than 2.7 million tasks and shifts, including more than 1.1 million telephone support calls, over the past five years. It provides volunteering support seven days a week, underpinned by wraparound support and assurance, as well as safeguarding, problem-solving teams and helplines running from 8 am to 8 pm. Volunteers are ID checked, have role guidance, hold DBS checks when required and have their expenses paid by the programme. How will the Government ensure that volunteering in the NHS and social care is encouraged and facilitated, given that the need for volunteers across the country remains acute? When will the new scheme begin operating and can the Government guarantee that existing patients will not be left in the lurch?

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health and Social Care (Baroness Merron) (Lab)]

I start by saying, as I am sure the noble Earl agrees, how grateful we are for the generous contribution made by volunteers. They play a vital role in supporting patients, staff and services in many ways. The national NHS and Care Volunteer Responders programme was first established as part of the Covid response, and the noble Earl helpfully set out its contribution. The fact is that a model that worked well in a national crisis is no longer the most cost-effective option, so there will be a new recruitment portal for NHS volunteers to be fully launched this year. This is all about expanding voluntary opportunities and getting more volunteer hours to further support patients even better than volunteers do already.