Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to make it easier to use volunteers to support the COVID-19 vaccination programme.

We are working with the Royal Voluntary Service and St John Ambulance to recruit and train thousands more volunteer vaccinators, who will have all the relevant clinical training, as well as supervision, to ensure they can vaccinate in a way that is safe for patients and for themselves. This includes drawing on the skills of those who have volunteered through the NHS Bring Back Scheme, considering the use of a wider range of medical professionals as well as those currently working outside of the National Health Service.

Ongoing recruitment for both the clinical and non-clinical volunteering roles is via the NHS Volunteer Responder GoodSAM app. Requests for volunteer support for the COVID-19 vaccination programme are being directed through the lead provider in each area.