Hooray for the NHS Voluntary Army

I’ve signed up. Re the shopping, there’s a slightly complicated system of user phoning shop and leaving card details. You then go to customer service with a password. Leave shopping on doorstep. Cash is not recommended. Not sure how many elders will cope with that though. Or how they’re going to check so many volunteers. Amazing that so many have though.

Did you mean that for patcaf ?

elegran Many of the people signing up to volunteer will already have DBS certificates (I have). There are 3 roles:

ringing people who are isolated, chatting to them

doing grocery shopping and/or collecting prescriptions

delivering equipment.

You sound rather bitter

I believe they have stated that the DBS can be done in 72 hours. I don't think you need training to drive someone home from hospital or pick up prescriptions and shopping. Of course some will get it wrong but looking at the bigger picture I am sure they will do more good than harm. This crisis has no precedent so mistakes will be made but we have to try in whatever way we can.

What do you mean, patcaf, by "no organisation"? The site we are talking about is under the supervision of what used to be called the WRVS, who have a great deal of experience of this kind of thing, right back to WW2 at least. The volunteers will be doing things like driving people to appointments, doing shopping for vulnerable isolated people, delivering for pharmacies, phoning people who don't have any other callers. Do you think these things should stay undone? or added to the duties of ambulance drivers? They will all have be checked, which will take up time, but any who should not be near vulnerable patients will surely be weeded out. They won't be "let into hospitals" their stated duties stop at the hospital door.

All sounds wonderful but no one in the NHS really wants these people. I worked there and still know people there. These volunteers have no training, no H&S expertise, most have no current DBS, cannot work unsupervised and will eat up hours of management time. The NHS is short of trained staff and equipment not well meaning volunteers. The risk assessment of letting these people into hospitals or on to phones is huge and there is no resource to carry it out.
This goes completely against the govmt guidelines to stay at home. These people will be a risk to themselves, their families and anyone else they come in contact with. Unfortunately there is no organisation behind this web site and very little security of data. I doubt very much if any of these volunteers will ever be asked to attend a hospital or make a phone call. Within this group there will inevitably be people who should not be allowed near vulnerable patients.

HootyMcOwlFace Shopping left on doorstep and person No. 1 delivering knocks on door and then stands a distance away.

Person No. 2 opens the door wearing gloves and picks up shopping, and places cash or a cheque in an envelope on the doorstep and closes the door.

Person No. 1 then retrieves the payment.

No way should you give your credit card details to someone you don't know. I shall run out of cash myself shortly and am also running out of cheques, so don't know what I shall do after that!

Lovely post Sparkelfizz and it is so good to hear about the people who are doing what they can to help.

We have a friend who's a retired Paramedic/ Bike Responder and she's back doing something.

DD2 lives close by 6 retirement bungalows so posted notes through the doors that she is willing to help in anyway she can.

She suggested that they come to their windows, their doors are too close together hence the window suggestion, once a day so they can all see each other and while they are all keeping their distance she tells me it's turning out to be very sociable for them.

We've done the same for our elderly neighbours and have been offered help from a couple of young families in the street.

Sometimes it's the small things that help when we can't volunteer for the bigger things.

Lovely that so many people are willing to do what they can and go beyond. Brings some balance to all the selfish and despicable shows of humanity we've seen recently.

My daughter has joined it and says that they have a system sorted out, but what it is I don't know.

Anyone know how the shopping bit will work? If you have to leave shopping on the doorstep how do you get/give the money, and if they’ve no cash how are they meant to pay? I wouldn’t really like to give a stranger my bank card to pay with that, or should we?

Just want to add my thanks to the volunteers and all who are working so hard to protect us and keep society going.{smile} {flowers}

I’m an NHS worker but I deal with outpatients, so cancelled. Also I’m confined to the house for 12 weeks, so have volunteered. At least I’ll feel I’m doing something!
Yes, this is a wonderful country with wonderful people. Newspapers only ever tell about the bad ones and sadly they’ve slays existed, although well outnumbered.
Stay safe. Stay well

I agree Peardrop when all this is over we should all show our appreciation to the people who kept things running. So many are going over and above the call of duty,.

DS has volunteered, perhaps he is being selfish because he has found this enforced 'retirement' hard work . His garden is getting a lot of attention and the garage has been turned into a gym.

Other DS is having a great time with his children because his wife is a key worker and is loving every minute.

I agree, the vast majority of people, young or old, are good, kind and decent. I agree that I hope something special is done for all NHS workers when this is over....a good wage rise would be a start. Also I for one will thank all those shelf stackers, delivery drivers, check-out operators, bin men, postmen and all others who keep us going through these difficult days.

I’ve volunteered to phone people. No risk.

Gotthattshirt You can volunteer to phone vulnerable housebound people who haven't spoken to a soul in weeks. That isn't dangerous - the virus can't travel down phone lines.
www.goodsamapp.org/nhs

I’m a bit confused by this volunteering request. If we’re meant to stay at home and maintain social distancing how is it ok to go out and deliver medical supplies or transport folk home. Lots of social contact there and in high risk areas.
I wanted to volunteer-my husband viewed the risk too high. We rowed and the atmosphere is still strained.
Your views please.

My ex DIL is going to ferry medical supplies about.
She is one who normally puts herself first but she did a sterling job getting donations for food banks and packing bags at C.......s.
We all have lots of good in us. It sometimes just needs teasing out.

I am finding so much that is good right now in this alarming time - we are a WONDERFUL nation and as always, throughout history, we are pulling together, coping, and managing to laugh at ourselves too.
(Oooooh - I can almost hear 'Land of Hope and Glory' playing)

It's really wonderful how people have rallied round in these circumstances. What comes as a surprise, but it shouldn't really, is how many young people have come to the fore. One young lady near us gave the elderly a card - green on one side red the other. Display in your window green if ok, red if you need help. She and her friends check every day to see if her neighbours are ok.

I’m incredibly proud of my girls, one has signed up to become a first responder for the NHS and the other a Headteacher is looking after NHS and essential services children. Not all younger people are selfish stock pliers.

Wonderful that so many people want to help. I am sure there will be loads of jobs for them but not sure about all the personal checks that are usually done even for volunteers before being allowed near customers of the NHS ie criminal background checks. The system won't be able to cope if checks have to be carried out and they can take a while to process.

I know the NHS staff are at the centre of our thanks and thoughts but can we also feel grateful for the cleaners, hostel workers, prison officers, police, care workers, social workers and other front line staff who are going above and beyond the call of duty.

Then let's think about the shelf-stackers, delivery drivers, factory workers, logistics people and "back room" people who are essential to the running of things.

As one ICU consultant on the radio the other day said, I can't do my job till the cleaners have been in.

And yes. It's great to have so many volunteers!

My grand daughter has also volunteered, and i'm proud of her for doing so, as she can normally be quite selfish, so doubly surprised
Also a friends sister has come out of retirement as an SRN to volunteer nursing