Could the Mail’s army of volunteers help to save the NHS?
THE Hospital Helpforce is a great idea. I became a volunteer years ago for the National Hospital Reserve, which started me on a journey of helping others. I trained for St Andrew’s Ambulance Service, was a first aider for the Civil Defence, visited victims of crime in the community for 22 years and was a police volunteer for ten years.
PAT O’CONNOR, Blackpool, Lancs. I’VE had no hesitation in signing up to the Mail’s campaign to be a hospital volunteer. I owe my life to a surgeon and nurses at London’s Maudsley Hospital. I was a guinea pig for brain surgery to tackle my uncontrollable epilepsy. Thanks to them, I can enjoy life to the full. I am glad to finally have the opportunity to give something back to the NHS.
SUE WILLMOTT, Uckfield, E. Sussex.
I DON’T agree that volunteers should bolster up hospitals. I spent 35 years in the NHS and can confirm that top-heavy, overpaid and incompetent management is
the root of all its problems. I think flooding the NHS with volunteers to compensate for bad management is the wrong approach.
GRAHAM MARSH, Stockport, Cheshire. I HAVE signed up for the Hospital Helpforce. However, I am not impressed that celebrities such as Chris Evans are urging the public to offer a helping hand. Will he also be signing up to help in a practical way? These people are worth millions and can afford the best private health care money can buy for their families, so will never have to experience the NHS. EMILY HOPLEY, Alderley Edge, Cheshire.
CONGRATULATIONS on the Mail’s drive to get more volunteers to help in hospitals. Let’s also salute the League of Friends and the unsung volunteers who are working in hospices and care homes.
PAULINE WARREN, Bolton. WHAT a good campaign the Daily Mail has started to call for an army of volunteers to help our hospitals. Let’s hope the greedy NHS car parks offer reduced fees to these volunteers. But there’s no chance of that happening when hard-working nurses are charged for parking. B. BEST, High Wycombe, Bucks.
MY WIFE and I are interested to learn that Joanna Lumley and Bryan Ferry are supporting the Mail’s campaign. Please let us know when and where they will be volunteering. I shall be very pleased to accompany Joanna while my wife is happy to work with Bryan.