Last night, the team responsible for helping the Trust achieve the Gold Award in the Ministry of Defence’s Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) was honoured with the prestigious ‘Military and Civilian Health Partnership Award’ by the Health Service Journal (HSJ), recognising our work on the Veteran Aware and Armed Forces Initiative.
The award entry highlighted the Trust’s rollout of Armed Forces awareness training for staff, improved identification of veterans within patient pathways, strengthened partnerships with military charities, and our rapid progression to achieving the ERS Gold Award in under two years.
Our journey to better recognise and support the Armed Forces community began in September 2023. Since then, we have made remarkable progress — achieving Bronze status in January 2024, Silver in September 2024, and culminating in Gold in July — establishing the Trust as a leading advocate for the Armed Forces community.
The ERS Gold Award, the highest level of recognition, is given to employers who go above and beyond in supporting veterans, reservists, cadet volunteers, and military families. This includes offering at least 10 days of paid leave for reservists, embedding supportive HR policies, participating in career transition schemes, and championing defence-friendly practices across networks.