Coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance on offering support

Coronavirus (COVID-19) diagnostic testing

Offers to help with coronavirus (COVID-19) diagnostic testing should be sent to nss.covid-19assaydevelop@nhs.net.

There are a number of ways in which you might be able to support the COVID-19 vaccinations programme:

Vaccinator offers of support

For individuals who are interested in becoming Vaccinators, including those with prior experience such retired clinicians and emergency registrants, Health Boards are advertising for roles that they currently have available via the NHS Scotland Recruitment website. 

As delivery of the programme accelerates and boards assess their long term workforce needs, there will be on-going recruitment over the coming months, so please check the page regularly for upcoming opportunities.   

For individuals who are considering becoming a vaccinator, read more about the core training that is required on the Covid vaccine learning page.

For members of the primary and community care workforces, including GPs, Dentists, Pharmacists and Optometrists, national terms and conditions have been negotiated to enable independent contractors to participate in vaccinations delivery, on a sessional basis, on behalf of an NHS Scotland health board.   

If you would like to become involved, you should contact the health board in the area in which you practise, to explore whether they have openings for contractors on a sessional basis. Please check back regularly as this may change over time.   

Volunteering to support the vaccinations programme (administrative and logistical support, stewarding etc.)

We are working with the British Red Cross, who are co-ordinating the volunteer support alongside local partners to assist with the delivery of the vaccine programme.  For other ways in which you can volunteer to support the programme and the wider response to the pandemic see Practical, emotional, and other ways you can help (ready.scot)

Non-vaccinator offers of support

All other offers of support for the vaccination programme such as Premises or Logisitics should be sent to offersofsupport.vaccine@gov.scot  

An automated response is generated from this e-mail address, your offer of support will be logged and shared with the appropriate Health board when additional support is required in your area.

We are extremely grateful to all those who have offered to support the programme so far. We do receive many offers of support and it will take some time for these to be considered. It may be that we cannot make use of the services offered at this time, there may however be opportunities in the future for you to participate.

If you have new and innovative products or solutions for NHS Scotland, which do not currently exist, you can share them through the Health Innovation Assessment Portal (HIAP Scotland).  

Get help, share your ideas or volunteer

If you’re a member of the public who needs help or has an idea they would like to share, email cpe@gov.scot.

Find out how you can volunteer on Volunteer Scotland.