FAQs

We have written to everyone receiving support to advise them of the closure of Volunteer Responders and included details of how they can contact our Support Team. In addition the most vulnerable patients will be contacted directly .

Referrals for Companionship Calls have already ended.

All other referrals will need to be input by 31 May for completion on the same day.

Any shifts or tasks that are dated after the Saturday 31 May will be removed and will not be completed.

The last date for one-off task referrals will be 31 May 2025, noting the task must be completed on the same day.

31 May is the last day of volunteer support. Any shifts or tasks dated after 31 May will be removed and will not be completed.

We have written to everyone receiving support to advise them of the closure of Volunteer Responders and included details of where they can find alternative support.

Following the last task date on 31 May 2025, any decision to allow volunteers to continue supporting your organisation, would be your choice and independent of NHS and Care Responders, NHSE, Royal Voluntary Service and GoodSAM.

NHSE, Royal Voluntary Service and GoodSAM would be unable to support with any issues that may arise, nor would any insurances cover your continued relationship.

If you wish to understand further ways you can continue to involve volunteer support contact [email protected]^[1]

We will process your data in line with the deletion and retention rules specified in the Referrer's Privacy Notice^[2].

The NHS and Care Volunteer Responders programme, which was set up in March 2020 to support people during the COVID-19 pandemic, will be ending soon and Saturday 31 May is the last date for any volunteering activity.

In the face of a difficult financial position, and the wider context of changes affecting NHS England, the decision has been taken to end the NHS and Care Volunteer Responders service.

All live volunteering will cease on 31 May 2025

Yes there will still be live tasks that will end on the 31 May. If you are still able to support these this would be much appreciated to ensure support remains in place for as long as possible.

Everyone who is receiving support from Volunteer Responders will be notified via a letter. This letter will outline what is happening and places they can find support beyond the Volunteer Responders.

Advise them to read their letter about the closure of the Volunteer Responders as this will contain all the information they need. If they have concerns or wish to speak to someone they can contact our support team up until the 31 May on 0808 196 3382^[3].

They will have received details of how they can seek further support in their letter telling them about the closure of Volunteer Responders.

You can call our support team to let them know about your concerns on 0808 196 3382^[3] up until the 31 May 2025.

We will still accept reference requestes from organisations for employment or volunteering and these will be available on request up until 20 June 2025. We don't provide references directly to volunteers.

We will process your data in line with the retention periods outlined in the Volunteer Privacy Notice^[4]. This effectively states that we will retain your data for a period of 6 months following the end of the Scheme (for admin purposes and to deal with any queries), at which point it will be deleted.

No, you should not continue to support anyone outside of the Volunteers Responders programme.

We are keen for you to continue your volunteering journey and will be back in touch with more options soon.

The final date to submit expenses is 30 June 2025. You can do this via our expenses portal at concur.co.uk/rvs^[5]

The NHS and Care Volunteer Responders programme, which was set up in March 2020 to support people during the COVID-19 pandemic, will be ending soon and Saturday 31 May is the last date for any volunteering activity.

In the face of a difficult financial position, and the wider context of changes affecting NHS England, the decision has been taken to end the NHS and Care Volunteer Responders service.

We have sent you a letter that details where you can get further support from. If you have not recevied this letter or have any queries please contact out support team on 0808 196 3382^[3].

Support will cease on the 31 May 2025, this is when the Volunteer Responders will formally close.

We will process your data in line with the retention periods outlined in the Supported Individuals Privacy Notice^[6].

This effectively states that we will retain your data for a period of 6 months following the end of the Scheme (for admin purposes and to deal with any queries), at which point it will be deleted.