500,000 people have already volunteered to help the NHS - here’s what they will be doing

More than half a million people have signed up to help the NHS - double the government’s recruitment target.

At his daily press conference on Wednesday (25 March), the Prime Minister offered “a special thank you to everyone who has now volunteered to help the NHS.”

Mr Johnson said they would play “an absolutely crucial” role in the health service.

What work will the volunteers do?

The help will be directed at the 1.5 million UK residents who have been asked to shield themselves because they have underlying illnesses.

The roles the volunteers will take on are:

Community Response - Collecting shopping, medication or other essential supplies for someone who is self-isolating, and delivering these supplies to their homes.

Patient Transport - Supporting the NHS by providing transport to patients who are medically fit for discharge, and ensuring they are settled back in their homes.

NHS transport