To think that nobody is going to want to volunteer to help the NHS

[Cinammoncake]

With coronavirus Government saying this morning on the radio that they'll ask people to volunteer if necessary. People have been saying for years the NHS is underfunded. And who are all these people free to work for nothing. I think the Government is deluded to think there will be volunteers for this.

I used to work in a non clinical role for the NHS and it looks like that's part of the service already struggling. I'd consider volunteering to help out. But it's not patient facing, if it was then I probably wouldn't consider it.

Some people are just incredibly amazing and selfless people

Agreed. And I have nothing but admiration for everyone working in the NHS and all volunteers.

@Cinammoncake nursing students already work for free as part of their course. Its 30% classroom and 70% nursing shifts. They don't get paid for working full time nursing shifts and many of them struggle to hold a part time job because of the hours they have to work on placement.

my grandmother was a volunteer with the red cross during ww2. She did 16 hours a week on top of full time work. She cleaned wounds and did dressings in particular but also did anything the real nurses told her to do. I think there was a fair amount of washing people and emptying bed pans. There were loads of them doing it.

I guess the difference is there wasn't an NHS and the war wasn't contagious.

I would volunteer in an emergency - unless you are in an at risk group I don't see why you wouldn't

I'd consider it. I believe the government should better fund the NHS, and pay workers. And I voted as such. But the government's failings wouldnt stop me wanting to help people.

On the other hand, I have no useful skills for health sector work.

My DS is an HCA and would definitely work extra shifts but not for free!

MPs should be made to lead by example and volunteer themselves. Not in public facing roles though, maybe in cleaning roles. It would cheer me up considerably to see JRM cleaning toilets!

MPs should be made to lead by example and volunteer themselves. Not in public facing roles though, maybe in cleaning roles. It would cheer me up considerably to see JRM cleaning toilets!

Yes this

I think Medical sales representatives would be a great source of help to the NHS in an emergency. So many of them are former clinicians, familiar with the hospital environment, they're usually DBS checked. Something for the government and the NHS to consider.

When I suggested they could come back and volunteer after retirement they laughed in my face
Dreadful☹️ did they acknowledge or try to justify this gross and insulting hypocrisy?

No-one is saying volunteering would be expected, that's quite clear from the word volunteer surely And I disagree with your other point, I think many people would volunteer.

Perhaps they could offer to write off some student debt in return? Given how screwed over our young people have been in terms of the cost of living, low wages, high house prices and student loans, I don't see why we should expect them to work for the NHS for free too.

I have seen similar points made elsewhere by people who've been on the receiving end of the generational shafting in the last decade or two.

@UYscutti. I think they felt they had done their time. And possibly they had. But they failed to see the irony in pushing me to find more volunteers whilst also making clear their own retirements would be free from commitments.

I think many trusts will have to revisit their volunteering training requirements if they are serious about drafting more volunteers. There's a fine line to be struck between ensuring people are sufficiently trained and safe to be around patients and making the process so burdensome that most people are put off entirely.

I agree with you OP, I don’t think an army of new volunteers is going to step up. Maybe if there was no risk to themselves they might volunteer to help in an emergency, but certainly not in a scenario where they would be exposing themselves to a virus that has already killed a number of medical staff.

I've chatted with my mum about it today as she's a retired senior sister from a and e, so the exact kind of experience they'd love. I've asked her not to take it up if they ask, I want my mum not a virus statistic!

She will find it hard to say no, but accepts that she is vulnerable herself and after 50 years of putting the NHS first, she's going to put her and her family first!

The NHS already has a lot of volunteers and I would imagine a crisis would see more wanting to help. You'd be surprised how altruistic and community minded some people are.

I work in a hospital and we have volunteers in all sorts of roles including work that other people get paid to do like admin for example.

War/terrorist attack she'd happily go back, but this is very different!

If I didn’t have to look after my children (if there school didn’t close for example) I’d happily volunteer a few hours, if I didn’t have anything else to do I’d love to do four days a week during school hours. I’m not sure how useful I’d be though not having any medical training and what have you.

Im a full time carer for DH who is in the high risk group.

Those who do volunteer................if that volunteering is going to be remembered later on when/if those same volunteers fall on hard times and need UC then all well and good.

Having seen the way family carers are treated when their loved one dies and the carer has to claim UC , i have my doubts.

I work in childcare so will probably end up volunteering my time in that way (making sure single parents / parents in need can get to work at hospitals etc...) Equally I would happily volunteer my time at hospitals in this sort of a crisis as I don't have my own kids. But I feel since looking after kids is second nature to me, I'd be better off helping in that way so that more qualified people can get ti work.

It sounds great having lots of untrained volunteers(who all would have to be DBS checked,) but to do what,?
To do admin you'd have to be covered with the information govetnance,be trained in the wierd and wonderful hospital systems.
Hands on patient care probably won't happen as safe guarding training needed as well,even washing and dressing people isn't as easy as it seems and the hospital's don't want suing if you hurt a patient or yourself.(There's a reason so many nurses have bad backs,,).
I don't mean this unkindly but the NHS will not be the only place struggling most people will need to help family members,neighbours,vulnerable people in your own community.

I would like to volunteer. Not sure my boss would let me, but am willing.

I would volunteer. I’m not sure I would if I was regularly in contact with family in high risk groups, but my immediate family unit are low risk. If there were really terrible problems then I would. I’m a rather lapsed microbiologist, but could do lab work.

What would happen if you volunteered, caught Coronavirus and died. Would your family receive any sort of financial support?