In accordance with the commitment in the Better Health, Better Care Action Plan the Scottish Government has worked together with Volunteer Development Scotland, to refresh the strategy on NHS Volunteering and this has now been published as CEL 10 (2008).

During the three year period to March 2011, VDS will work in partnership with NHS Boards to increase the focus on volunteering in Scotland's NHS, to get NHS Boards thinking about it, planning for it, reviewing it, evaluating it, developing partnerships on it and sharing any learning on it with others. The Strategy requires all NHS Boards to achieve the Investing in Volunteers Standard - the nationally recognised standard, which guarantees a quality experience for volunteers, by 31 March 2011.