A call out is being made for former health and care staff across Suffolk and north East Essex to register their interest in becoming an NHS reservist.
There are a wide range of opportunities available, including assisting people who are being discharged from hospital or as part of the ongoing NHS COVID-19 vaccination programme.
Anyone who has previously worked in health and care is encouraged to register, with interest sought from all former staff members such as administrators, care assistants, GPs, nurses, physiotherapists, paramedics and pharmacists.
Those interested may have retired from their roles or still be working but in a different sector.
Full training will be provided, and NHS reservists will be paid in line with the role they are doing. Support will also be given by existing full-time staff that they can ‘buddy up’ with before starting any role. Although time commitment will vary it is anticipated to be around 30 days each year.
Local hospitals and NHS services can then call on the ‘NHS reservist community’ depending on their staffing requirements and pressures in their area, creating a bank of extra resource for when it is needed.
Following this initial call-out for former health and care staff, it is anticipated that in the coming months people from all backgrounds and experiences will be asked to register their interest.
Amanda Lyes, Director of Workforce for the Suffolk and North East Essex Integrated Care System, said: “Over the past two years of the pandemic former health care workers and volunteers have played an invaluable role in ensuring our local vaccination programme has been one of the very best in the country.
“As our NHS starts to rebuild itself, both locally and nationally, there’s now a need for NHS reservists to support that recovery.
“We ask people to help their local NHS regain the ground lost during the pandemic, and help to tackle the backlog and support the continued delivery of the vaccination programme.”
If you are interested, please complete the registration form – you will be contacted directly.
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