Target 18-24 year olds as NHS volunteers to tackle waiting lists, charity says

A high-profile volunteer recruitment drive targeting young adults could help tackle NHS waiting lists, according to a charity.

Helpforce said volunteers can have a “transformative impact on hospital efficiency” as it urged the Government to invest in the biggest hiring campaign since the pandemic.

It comes as a YouGov poll found a third of 18 to 24-year-olds would consider giving up their time to volunteer in the NHS.

According to Helpforce, around 100,000 people already volunteer for the health service.

Many take on non-clinical “response” roles such as collecting medication from hospital pharmacies for patients, transporting blood samples and restocking cupboards with aprons, bedding and masks.

Helpforce analysis suggests that for every 10,000 new response volunteers recruited, the NHS could gain around 1.1 million hours of productivity.

Amerjit Chohan, chief executive of Helpforce, said: “We call on the Government to invest in the biggest health volunteering recruitment drive since the pandemic, with a focus on attracting young adults into ‘response volunteer’ roles.

“Evidence shows that this specific type of support can have a transformative impact on overall hospital efficiency – crucially leading to a reduction in the length of treatment waiting lists.”

A survey of 2,173 adults in England, carried out by YouGov for Helpforce, found 24% of people would consider volunteering for the NHS.

This increased to 33% among those aged 18 to 24.

Mr Chohan claims this percentage is the equivalent to 1.9 million people.

“Even if only 5% could be enticed into volunteering roles, that would result in the NHS being bolstered by an additional 95,000 eager helpers, virtually doubling the size of the present volunteer force,” he said.

The poll also found 67% of people would back a major volunteer recruitment drive.

More than a quarter (28%) of 25 to 34-year-olds showed enthusiasm for volunteering, along with 23% of 35 to 54-year-olds and 20% of people aged 55 and over.

Mr Chohan added: “After years of under-investment and deep-rooted system-level challenges, the NHS remains in crisis – despite the valiant efforts of its staff and legions of existing volunteers.

“In communities, people feel the effects of unacceptably long waiting lists and chronically over-stretched services. A swathe of the public is evidently willing to step forward and do what they can to help.

“While it may surprise many people that young adults appear to have the greatest level of enthusiasm, it perhaps shouldn’t, as numerous academic studies have shown that this generation possesses a deep sense of social responsibility.

“There’s a huge opportunity for the Government to learn from our work with more than 100 NHS organisations and super-charge impact-led volunteering programmes that have already been proven at scale. Volunteering can’t solve all the NHS’s problems, but evidence shows it has a significant contribution to make.”

Henry Oliveira, 18, from west London, started volunteering in 2023 when he was studying for his A-levels.

He is currently working in pathology, where he helps label and record various samples while studying for a degree in clinical pharmacology at City St George’s, University of London.

Mr Oliveira, who one day hopes to be a doctor, told the PA news agency his volunteer role has given him “an idea of hospital settings and different jobs” as well as “the gist of how the NHS works”.

“I volunteer because that’s the way I was brought up – to help other people,” he said.

“You’re getting a lot of knowledge. Most people don’t know how the hospital runs and if you stick to it you might get more special volunteer work.

“Volunteering is a starting point, not the only starting point, but one of them.”

Dr Jennifer Dixon, chief executive of the Health Foundation, backed the call by Helpforce.

She said: “It’s fascinating to see that young adults seem to have the highest levels of appetite for NHS volunteering and heartening that so many of them want to do something practical to help others in need, as well as support the NHS which in turn can offer them so much.

“As well as those aged 18 to 24 having a great deal to offer the NHS as volunteers, exposing them to healthcare settings is likely to interest them in a career in the NHS – which could be hugely worthwhile for them, and boost the NHS workforce with young, committed talent.”

Daniel Elkeles, chief executive of NHS Providers, said that based on the YouGov poll, “there would be clear merit in a high-profile, Government-led recruitment drive targeting young adults”.

“Tens of thousands of highly motivated volunteers of all ages and from all walks of life already gift their time and talents to NHS trusts nationwide and there is growing evidence that they make a significant contribution – not only improving the experiences of patients receiving healthcare, but also in terms of enhancing the working lives of the health professionals they support,” he added.

“In my previous roles as a trust leader, I’ve seen for myself the great benefits this can bring, including the essential work of volunteers with ambulance services.

“Forward-thinking NHS trusts no longer view volunteering programmes as a ‘nice-to-have’ and instead regard them as a strategic imperative.”