NHS Volunteering - how to use app?

[zico]

I signed up to be a NHS Volunteer (one of the 750,000) and was given an app to download. However it's a "Responder" app which seems to assume I'm a paramedic. Has anyone worked out how to use this properly. I signed up to phone vulnerable people and deliver medicines, not to use a defibrillator, which is what the app seems to expect!

Thanks in advance for any help/advice.

[sg31]

I signed up to be a NHS Volunteer (one of the 750,000) and was given an app to download. However it's a "Responder" app which seems to assume I'm a paramedic. Has anyone worked out how to use this properly. I signed up to phone vulnerable people and deliver medicines, not to use a defibrillator, which is what the app seems to expect!

Thanks in advance for any help/advice.

I can't help with your main question but most community defibillators tell you what to do at each stage of the process. I did a course on resusitation about a year ago and it included using one. It was very straight forward.

[UncleEbenezer]

My inner cynic thinks all that publicity exercise may have little substance behind it. Volunteering for an existing charity backed by organisation might be more productive.

Anyone want to disabuse me of that notion?

[zico]

My inner cynic thinks all that publicity exercise may have little substance behind it. Volunteering for an existing charity backed by organisation might be more productive.

Anyone want to disabuse me of that notion?

Not me. I've tried to find guidance on the internet, but just nothing there. Maybe there'll be a question about it at today's press conference and someone will explain why it's important to mobilise all these volunteers properly, that guidance is being ramped up and they'll put an arm around the volunteers.

[chas49]

Have you actually been accepted into a role? (I volunteered the morning after it was launched. Registered and activated my email, but still waiting for official instructions.... (had the email to say there would be a delay and no volunteering starting before 31 March).

[UncleEbenezer]

My inner cynic thinks all that publicity exercise may have little substance behind it. Volunteering for an existing charity backed by organisation might be more productive.

What was it in todays news bulletin? Total of about 5k of all those volunteers have done anything all?

(Sorry, heard it on the news earlier, but forgot the details between hearing it and digging up this thread).

[XFool]

Coronavirus: Volunteers 'not being called upon' to help NHS

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52418946

When the NHS invited people to become "volunteer responders" a month ago, there was a deluge of applications.

"Three quarters of a million people signed up to help with jobs including patient transportation and grocery delivery.

Six hundred thousand were accepted on to the scheme, but so far only 50,000 tasks have been completed."

[EssDeeAitch]

Not sure what the fuss is about here. My wife and I have both signed up, both been asked to "respond" to requests for assistance (which is why we are called reponders I suppose) and both have declined requests as well.
If the comprehensive information that is sent out once one has been approved as a responder is read, then all the mystery disappears. When all else fails, read the instructions.
You can select if you are a competent defiblarator user or not but other than that, you dont get to chose your assignment. All of our tasks were simply shopping. But we have a longish chat with the people to see how they are doing generally.
A good scheme, well thought out and as far as we can see, working well

[UncleEbenezer]

Not sure what the fuss is about here.

In my case, curiosity. Should I have signed up? Would I have been able to do anything useful? There was no decision to make at the time: I was self-isolating with a lurgy, and by the time I was back in circulation the whole thing was oversubscribed.

My wife and I have both signed up, both been asked to "respond" to requests for assistance (which is why we are called reponders I suppose) and both have declined requests as well.
If the comprehensive information that is sent out once one has been approved as a responder is read, then all the mystery disappears. When all else fails, read the instructions.

Fairy nuff, but your post is the first evidence I've seen of the scheme operating at all. My nonagenarian dad should in principle be the kind of person you're helping, but he has no idea how to access it.

When you say declined a request, do you mean something that gets actively sent to you? If a request comes to just you that builds in potentially-long delays until you at least see it. If it goes simultaneously to multiple volunteers, it needs some means of not getting duplicated by several of them! Wouldn't it make more sense for requests to be visible to as many volunteers as might be able to help (a noticeboard with workflow), and you accept rather than decline individual tasks?

[EssDeeAitch]

Fairy nuff, but your post is the first evidence I've seen of the scheme operating at all. My nonagenarian dad should in principle be the kind of person you're helping, but he has no idea how to access it.

We have eight responders in our very small estate and we already do shopping for two neighbours independently of the scheme who would be typical users so I am not surprised that evidence is sparse. People are entered into the scheme by their medical practitioner if they feel that they are vulnerable in any way. How the individuals then make a request for assistance I do not know as I only have experience as a responder. But I am due to call someone later today and will ask him how he accessed the service and post.

When you say declined a request, do you mean something that gets actively sent to you? If a request comes to just you that builds in potentially-long delays until you at least see it. If it goes simultaneously to multiple volunteers, it needs some means of not getting duplicated by several of them! Wouldn't it make more sense for requests to be visible to as many volunteers as might be able to help (a noticeboard with workflow), and you accept rather than decline individual tasks?

Select On Duty or Off Duty on the app, if a request comes through when you are on-duty then you can simply respond by selecting accept or reject (if you reject, the request will then go to someone else. The request comes through as a siren so not easy to miss). If you accept, then the details are sent to you in the message section of the app and you then provide feedback in the form of "on-site" (which would be better termed "in-hand" as it could just be a phone call that is required), and once the task is complete, you just select completed. We are tasked with non-urgent assignments such as shopping and talking; emergencies are not dealt with by responders except those with medical experience.
I suggest that you contact your fathers doctors if you feel he may need this service, sorry I cannot be any help in that regard.

[EssDeeAitch]

UPDATE

Just had an alert and it was to contact the chap I spoke to last week. It seems as if there is a weekly call to him just to see if all is well and if there are any requirements. Should he need immediate assistance then he has a number to call and the task will be assigned accordingly (medical or non medical).

[UncleEbenezer]

Thanks for clarifying!

Select On Duty or Off Duty on the app, if a request comes through when you are on-duty then you can simply respond by selecting accept or reject (if you reject, the request will then go to someone else. The request comes through as a siren so not easy to miss).

That does rather rely on responders being well-organised people. Not falling into a scenario that would be typical for me, where I leave the phone in one room (e.g. the attic/office) while elsewhere in the house, and miss an alert. People who text me know that an answer could be instant or many hours later!

If you accept, then the details are sent to you in the message section of the app and you then provide feedback in the form of "on-site" (which would be better termed "in-hand" as it could just be a phone call that is required), and once the task is complete, you just select completed.

You accept before knowing the task? How does that work if the job turns out to be one you're unable to do? You can still reject it?

I suggest that you contact your fathers doctors if you feel he may need this service, sorry I cannot be any help in that regard.

I don't think he has a doctor any more. His GP who he liked retired. He then found himself just registered with the surgery - a big faceless team - and wanted nothing to do with that. I think that's not unusual. He does have help on an informal basis, similar (I expect) to your shopping for your neighbours outside the government scheme.

[EssDeeAitch]

Just to clarify, one only registers for the services one is qualified to execute. In my case, fetching, carrying and chatting.

[UncleEbenezer]

Just to clarify, one only registers for the services one is qualified to execute. In my case, fetching, carrying and chatting.

Indeed. I would be happy to fetch and carry, but (not having a car) would want to feel free to draw the line if someones fetch-and-carry was stockpiling heavy stuff far out in the sticks. Someone accustomed to a car might be prepared to carry a whole lot less than me if their car were out of action: for example being serviced or borrowed.

[didds]

A chum volunteered very early to the NHS colunteer scheme. He lives in farnham. He has a vehicle.

Thus far he has had no alerts to respond to in 462 hours "on duty" so far.

didds

[EssDeeAitch]

A chum volunteered very early to the NHS colunteer scheme. He lives in farnham. He has a vehicle.

Thus far he has had no alerts to respond to in 462 hours "on duty" so far.

didds

There are lots of volunteers; three times as many were hoped for so that may have something to do with him not receiving any requests for help. In our small area we have 20 volunteers as can be sees below (19 plus me (not shown)) so no-one would be expected to be inundated with requests for assistance. Consider too the fact that many people who do need help with shopping etc get this help from neighbours without going through the NHS app (we shop for two neighbours who fall into the vulnerable category so they do not need to use the NHS service).

So the fact that your friend has not been called to act can be seen as a victory for community spirit or an over reaction from the government and/or NHS. I prefer to see is as a victory.

[didds]

Yup - get all of that and totally concur.

Aside from the NHS volnteer thig our village and local town both indpenedently of each other boith set up local "covid-19 support groups" of volunteers to do these shopping, pharamcy etc etc etc type help. And as suggested just friends and family helpig oput on a more direct "pwersonal" connection basis eg last week we were all in self isolation lockdown thing here at chez didds and lots of friends were doig shopping runs for us.

so indeed it coild just be that the "larger" more "centralised" systems are in fact last in the queue for requests for help.

didds

[chas49]

I received an email "NHS Volunteer Responders Update" today - did you get that? It includes the following:

How we're increasing capacity



We know you are keen to help those in need and we appreciate your patience. Here's what we're doing to increase referrals:

- We've expanded the capacity of the NHS Volunteer Responders programme.
- We're constantly raising awareness of the programme with NHS settings and social care providers so they can refer their patients to us.
- We've adapted our process so that people can self refer when they need help.
- If you know someone who may be vulnerable and/or at risk (see referral criteria here) and needs help with shopping, prescription pick-up or a Check-in and Chat they can also call 08081963646.