Support for healthcare professionals

Volunteer Responders are ready to provide vital support to healthcare teams.

To make a referral call 0808 196 3382 or

See the Guide for referrers or FAQs to guide you on how to make referrals or to find out more about the Volunteer Responders programme.

Support available

Check In and Chat

Friendly telephone chats and encouragement to reduce loneliness and improve a person’s wellbeing for up to 18 weeks. The calls will be from different volunteers each time.

Check In and Chat Plus

Regular telephone calls and encouragement to reduce loneliness and improve a person’s wellbeing from the same volunteer (3 calls per week for 6 weeks from a volunteer). This is suitable for people who would benefit from speaking to the same person.

Community Response

Collection and delivery of food shopping and essential items and/or prescriptions, lateral flow tests and medications to people at home with a current health need. Support available on a one-off basis or for a period of 6 weeks. The days and times to be agreed between the volunteer and the person supported.

Pick Up and Deliver

Medicine or small items of medical equipment transported to people's homes from NHS sites or between sites. Requests can be made for a shift or for an urgent task request. This activity particularly supports people who are being discharged from hospital to home, are waiting for admission to hospital or are being cared for on a virtual ward. No biological specimens can be delivered.

Volunteers should not deliver Schedule 2 and 3 Controlled Drugs and pharmacists should use their professional judgement to determine whether it is appropriate for a volunteer to deliver Schedule 4 or 5 Controlled Drugs.

Connect support

Support for people to enjoy a range of activities in the home or in their community.

Volunteers are not able to support certain tasks, please see Connect activities for a full list.

Steward support

Volunteers will support the safe movement of patients around COVID-19 vaccination sites. They can monitor patient numbers and identify patients who may need additional support. The maximum shift length is 4 hours.

Join a webinar

We hold regular webinars to provide a short briefing on the programme.

Reserve your place

Speak to us

Our Regional Relationship Managers can provide more information about the programme. See contact details.