Community volunteering in the United Kingdom as an example of management and prevention of long-term conditions: roles, benefits and integration in health systems

Abstract

Obesity and long-term conditions have become leading public health challenges, reaching epidemic proportions globally. The failure of behaviour change and weight loss interventions suggests new ideas. Thus, it is recognized the importance of mobilizing community resources and support systems in the context of "self-care" and "patient empowerment", in particular, with volunteers. The aim of this article is to describe: (a) the roles of volunteers in the management, control and prevention of chronic diseases; (b) the benefits of volunteering in the British National Health System and (c) the challenges for their integration into health systems. For this, an overview review is undertaken. Volunteers establish contact with people who are socially isolated, close the gap between the continuity of clinical care and the community, offer a more personal and flexible care and they are an efficient method for the British National Health System. The identification of mechanisms to increase the intensity of the participation of volunteers, working together with other disciplines and the consideration of the social context might be relevant in the design of new efficient and effective public health practices.