More than 170,000 people have already signed up to work for the NHS volunteer scheme (Picture: Metro.co.uk)

More than 170,000 people have already signed up to work for the NHS volunteer scheme amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The government called for an army of 250,000 volunteers on Tuesday as the NHS struggles to cope with the rising number of Covid-19 cases. Health Secretary Matt Hancock described the ideal candidates as being ‘people in good health’, whose roles would include ‘shopping, the delivery of medicines and support for those who are shielding to protect their own health’.

National Medical Director of NHS England, Professor Stephen Powis, announced on BBC Breakfast this morning that already 170,000 people have filled out forms – equating to roughly 189 people a minute.



Anyone wishing to sign-up as a volunteer can register online by visiting the NHS website, where they will need to fill out a form. Successful candidates will then be given login details for the ‘GoodSAM’ Responder app.


Health Secretary Matt Hancock issued a call for volunteers on Tuesday (Picture: Metro.co.uk/ Rex)

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The app works by asking volunteers to mark themselves as ‘on duty’ when they are available to help with tasks in their area. The majority of tasks can be undertaken while social distancing and volunteers will receive guidance through a ‘getting started pack’.

Volunteers must be 18 or over and have no coronavirus symptoms. Those in higher-risk groups, including those who are over the age of 70, pregnant or have underlying medical conditions, are able to offer support by telephone. If any applicants do become ill, they can pause their volunteering.

As of Tuesday, the UK death toll from Covid-19 stands at 424, after a further 89 people died – the biggest daily rise in numbers the country has seen so-far.

There are 8,077 confirmed cases of the virus in the nation, up 1,427 from 6,650 on Monday.

More than 35,000 extra NHS staff will be joining the fight against the virus(Picture: AFP)

Hancock also revealed that more than 35,000 extra NHS staff would be joining the fight against the virus, including retired doctors and nurses returning to the service and final year students starting their careers.

Already, 11,788 recently retired NHS staff have responded to the call to return to the service, Hancock said. They include 2,660 doctors, more than 2,500 pharmacists and other staff and 6,147 nurses.

Some 5,500 final-year medics and 18,700 final-year student nurses are then expected to ‘move to the frontline’ next week. The new measure has led to calls or student debt for those on medical courses to be cancelled.

Hancock also confirmed a new temporary hospital – the NHS Nightingale hospital – would be opening at London’s Excel centre.