HEALTH and care students based on the Isle of Wight are hoping to follow a national movement by building a local support network of volunteers to assist NHS workers during coronavirus.

Students from relevant courses such as medicine and nursing intend to share some of the workload with NHS workers at this challenging time, assisting with things such as childcare or animal care.

These areas are likely to become neglected as a result of the outbreak disrupting schools and causing extra demand on doctors and nurses.

At the forefront of the proposal to build the network on the Isle of Wight are students Layla Beckett of Sussex Medical School and Sophie Trapp, a student children's nurse at the University of Manchester,

Layla said: "We are leading an effort to bring this concept to the Island, and are gaining the support of more students every day who are willing to help in whatever way they can.

"The idea is to utilise healthcare or childcare students — because they have DBS checks — who are currently unable to work or attend university, to help out NHS workers.

"We are offering childcare, dog walking or whatever help they may need around the house to make life a bit easier.

"We have very generously been given access to a free online childcare course by KoruKids to help us with this. It is a national student initiative to relieve some of the pressure on our front line staff."

More information about the national movement can be found by visiting www.nationalhealthsupporters.co.uk or joining the Isle of Wight National Health Supporters Facebook group on Facebook.