NCH&C has been awarded a Silver Defence Employer Recognition Award
The Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) encourages employers to support defence and inspire others to do the same. The scheme encompasses Bronze, Silver and Gold awards for employer organisations that pledge, demonstrate or advocate support to defence and the armed forces community, and align their values with the Armed Forces Covenant.
NHS Veteran Aware is an accreditation programme designed to support NHS trusts in understanding and meeting the needs of the Armed Forces community. Veteran Aware accreditation seeks to deliver:
- Better health and wellbeing for the whole of the Armed Forces community,
- A more joined-up experience of care for serving personnel and their families as they move around the country and transition from service to civilian life,
- Faster and more local access to high quality, personalised care for the Armed Forces community and greater value for money.
Matthew Winn laid out what that means to NCH&C:
“We are delighted that NCH&C has achieved the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme Silver Award. In understanding the challenges faced by veterans and their families, we are better equipped to support our veteran colleagues and patients, including those from armed forces families. Our priority is ensuring that all members of the Defence community feel fully integrated into our workforce. The recognition of this award reflects our commitment to the Armed Forces community and our attention to inclusivity and support”
Dom Galea part of the BI and Information team, a veteran and part of the Armed Forces Aware group:
“Because NCH&C is Armed forces aware they saw the potential of the skills and training I had and offered me a role while I was still serving, with my Chain of Command, they made sure that the transition was as smooth and supported as possible, which included a period of joint working. NCH&C have continued to really value my experience and use my skills in ways I never thought of while serving. I’m proud to be an active member of the Veteran Aware Group helping the trust meet the needs of the Defence community, raising awareness of what the NHS has to offer. We are always looking at how we can work with the community, support them both as employers and patients, and improve understanding across the organisation.”
But what does it mean for veterans, reservists and members of service families?
- We have signed the Armed Forces Covenant
- There are policies in place to so service personnel and the armed forces community are not unfairly disadvantaged as part of their recruiting and selection processes
- Reservists are supported for mobilisation and training through the NCH&C Reserve Forces Policy
- Reservists and Cadet Instructors also have access to an extra 5 days paid leave for training commitments in our Discretionary Leave policy
- A range of support can be found on the trust website, which we will be looking to expand the future
NCH&C is committed to ensuring all our staff feel a sense of belonging and support at our trust. Achieving the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme Silver Award demonstrates that the Defence community are an important and key part of our workforce. We are delighted with this achievement and want to continue to grow and learn from our Defence colleagues so that we may better enrich their experience with NCH&C.
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