Volunteering for an NHS organisation or charity can be a great way to support the NHS and get involved in your local community.
Volunteering programmes can equip individuals with the skills and confidence needed to progress in their career. In October 2024, NHS England launched the NHS Volunteering website as a single access point to volunteering in healthcare. This website makes it easier for people to learn about health-related volunteering and give their time in support of the NHS.
As an NHS volunteer, you can:
- make a positive contribution to the experience of patients and their families
- do something for the benefit of your local community
- get a sense of accomplishment and a positive outlook on life
- do something worthwhile and meaningful to you.
You could also visit the NHS and Care Volunteer Responders website which offer a full range of opportunities for people who live in England to support the NHS, its patients, and people who draw on social care. These volunteers can flex the time they offer through a smartphone app. This makes it easier to fit volunteering around work or other commitments.
NHS Cadets is a programme run in partnership with the NHS and St John’s Ambulance. It provides 14 to 18-year-olds with first aid training, courses to develop their leadership skills, and volunteering opportunities in the NHS. This programme aims to specifically widen access to health volunteering from groups that have not traditionally entered these volunteering opportunities.