The NHS needs YOU – call for army of reservists to tackle Covid backlog
BRITS are being told “your NHS needs you” with bosses recruiting an army of 50,000 reservists to help clear the Covid backlog.
Health service chief Amanda Pritchard has urged the public to pitch in during “our time of need” and join the effort to cut record waiting lists.
She is calling on Brits to help free up nurses and medics by speeding up hospital discharges and dishing out booster jabs.
A record 6.1 million people were waiting to start treatment at the end of December – the highest number since records began in August 2007.
Officials admit waiting lists in England could still peak at 14 million - from the current record high of six million.
Among those on the waiting list are people needing scans and tests, hip and knee operations, and cataract surgery.
Speaking at the annual Nuffield Trust health summit today, Ms Pritchard said: “Reservists will help us in our time of need but also help those who want a rewarding career in the health service – the roles are flexible and can fit around your lifestyle.
“The challenges for the NHS are far from over – and as we now pull out all the stops to recover services, we once again need the public’s support.
“So if you want to help your community by helping your local NHS – search NHS Reservists today – your NHS needs you.”
No healthcare experience is needed to sign up to the scheme, with participants “buddied up” with full-time staff if they need training.
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Reservists will be paid for their help and expected to work around 30 days a year.
NHS chief exec Ms Pritchard admitted tackling workforce shortages was "critical" to cutting the treatment backlogs.
She said the reservist programme has been successfully piloted in five regions and is being rolled out across England.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid added: “Former healthcare workers coming out of retirement played a vital role in the national mission to roll out vaccines, as did the many selfless volunteers who came forward to support the NHS.
“We want to build on this invaluable resource as we recover and reform, which is why we’re now recruiting an army of NHS reservists. If you want to help the NHS care for patients and tackle the Covid backlog please sign up today.”
It comes as hospital bosses warn that patients are suffering due to staffing shortages.
Chris Hopson, chief of the NHS Providers, told the Commons’ Health Select Committee: “We have now reached a point where workforce shortages are very clearly impacting on the quality of care the NHS is providing.
“We’re simply not able to recover the care backlogs that have built up because we don’t have enough staff to do so.”
He accused the Treasury of delaying attempts to bring in a plan to boost staff numbers.
Labour MPs have demanded concrete proposals from Sajid Javid and said problems in the NHS and social care cannot be fixed without it.
Mr Hopson added: “At the moment we are spending billions of pounds that we do not need to spend on agency and locum staff, instead of the full-time staff that we desperately need.”
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Nicola McQueen, CEO of NHS Professionals, warned nurses are “burnt out” and should be offered home working to stop them quitting the NHS.
To register interest in becoming a NHS reservist, click here: