NHS boss urges teens to join volunteer army

TEENAGERS and young adults should help out in hospitals to boost their ‘personal resilience’, the NHS’s head has said.

Simon Stevens called for a ‘new generation’ of volunteers to step forward, pointing out that some roles would undoubtedly lead to future health service careers.

He was speaking ahead of an NHS ‘youth summit’ in London on Tuesday, where 166 young volunteers will discuss improving healthcare for young people.

They are aged from 14 to 24 and either volunteer directly in their local hospital or help advise how they should be run.

Mr Stevens went on to praise the Daily Mail’s hospital volunteer campaign in December which led to 33,000 readers pledging their time. He said he was ‘personally appreciative of the tens of thousands of people who heeded the Daily Mail’s recent call to sign up’.

Mr Stevens added: ‘Giving up your time to help NHS patients and staff is hugely rewarding whatever your age, but can be particularly beneficial for young people who want to build skills and experience and a great start to their own working lives.’ The NHS has vowed to double its volunteer army from 77,000 to at least 157,000 by 2022.