Volunteering in ambulance services: developing and diversifying opportunities

Commissioned by the Office for Civil Society, this report explores the role and value of volunteering within ambulance services in England and identifies examples of different ways in which volunteering opportunities are being developed.

The role of volunteers within ambulance trusts is well-established, largely focusing on two key areas of provision – community first responder schemes and non-emergency patient transport services. However, ambulance trusts are now taking steps to develop and diversify volunteering within their services, from improving recruitment and management, to developing new activities and roles to meet changes in demand and building relationships with communities.

The report concludes by highlighting some key lessons for future development of the role of volunteering in ambulance services and identifies some important next steps to ensure a more strategic approach that realises the potential of volunteers.

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Comments

Insightful and useful

What a disappointing report, BASICS doctors and other HCPs have been volunteering on behalf of ambulance services for over forty years nationwide, yet do not merit a mention. One wonders where you got your information from.....

This report was commissioned to bring to attention to, and support work being undertaken by ambulance trusts to develop and diversify volunteering as part of a development programme. As such it's a specific contribution, rather than holistic overview and I agree, it would be good to reflect the variety of roles which currently exist in ambulance trusts in any future work on volunteering in ambulance services including those undertaken by healthcare professionals.