Cooks, drivers, care workers, errand runners and people offering companionship are among the voluntary workers needed for the planned National Care Force.
The free, online platform has been launched to create a UK-wide voluntary care workforce by health technology firm Florence.
Florence co-founder Dr Charles Armitage, who launched National Care Force as a not-for-profit organisation with a charitable status pending, said: “Social care is separate from the NHS, and its 1.6m care providers are crying out for aid in this time of need.
“These providers will not receive NHS funding or volunteers to combat the effects of the virus.
“While the NHS asked for 250,000 and received 750,000 volunteers, the social care sector is now in desperate need of its own army of volunteers.
“Workforce shortages in the care sector existed before the coronavirus outbreak but have grown with the COVID-19 crisis, as more staff get sick and are forced to self-isolate instead of going to work in care homes or for people in their homes.”
The online platform lets volunteers book shifts across the social care sector hat are posted by care providers.
Volunteers must have a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check before they start volunteering. They also must complete a daily questionnaire, asking if they have had any COVID-19 symptoms or been around anyone who has shown signs of the virus.
To sign up as a National Care Force volunteer visit: https://www.nationalcareforce.co.uk/