On Wednesday 18th January 2023, DHU Healthcare made a commitment by signing the Armed Forces Covenant, a pledge to support the armed forces community by treating them with fairness and respect.
The Armed Forces Covenant was published in May 2011 by Central Government and is a commitment that has been made in recognition of the sacrifices made by those who serve or have served on behalf of the country.
It is designed to ensure that our Armed Forces Personnel, Veterans and their families are treated fairly and have the same access to services as the civilian community has.
At DHU Healthcare we are very fortunate to boast a number of former servicemen and women, as well as reservists who continue to serve, supporting them in their work, training and development whilst encouraging others who have served with the armed forces to join our ranks.
In taking on this commitment, we agreed to uphold the key principles of the Covenant, which are:
- No member of the Armed Forces Community should face disadvantage in the provision of public and commercial services compared to any other citizen
- In some circumstances special treatment may be appropriate especially for the injured or bereaved.
The full Covenant can be found here and you can learn more about our approach to fulfilling this in an article we posted on the day we signed the Covenant that you can find by clicking here.
Pictured is our CEO Stephen Bateman alongside Captain Lewis, Tony Armstrong of the Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance, Stuart Ellis from the East Midlands branch of the Reserve Forces; and Cadets’ Associations and DHU’s Clinical Governance Lead Jillian Clemas from DHU.
Chris Rowe - Head of Talent Acquisition
Chris Rowe, Head of Talent Acquisition and a former veteran, transitioned from military service to a fulfilling civilian career.
Read more here.
Rob Shoosmith - Paramedic Practitioner
Rob Shoosmith, a DHU Practitioner, highlights how his dual roles have enriched his professional and personal life.
Read more here.
Jillian Clemas - Clinical Governance Lead
Jillian Clemas, who went from an RAF Critical Care Flight Nurse to DHU Healthcare's Clinical Governance Lead.
Read more here.
Find out more about what we do
Discover the rewarding opportunities at DHU for veterans starting a new career and making an impact.
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Support for Reservist Activities:
- Work Flexibility: DHU provides flexibility in work arrangements to accommodate the dual roles of their employees as healthcare practitioners and reservists.
- High Readiness Reservist Support: DHU supports employees on the High Readiness Reservist list, allowing them to be deployed at short notice for humanitarian missions.
- Professional Development Opportunities: Employees have the opportunity to develop and present specialised training, such as paediatric training, benefiting from diverse experiences.
- Skill Enhancement: DHU recognises the skills gained from military training, such as leadership and specialised medical training, and how they enhance the practitioner's capabilities in their healthcare roles
- Financial Coverage: The partnership between DHU and the RAF ensures that any additional costs incurred to cover shifts during an employee's absence will be paid by the RAF.
- Comprehensive Support Structure: DHU offers excellent feedback and support at all levels, ensuring that former servicemen and women can smoothly transition into their new roles and excel.
Within six months of signing the Armed Forces Covenant, we managed to secure the Bronze and Silver Awards to enhance our reputation as a 'Forces Friendly' organisation. Much of the groundwork had already been laid and we are now on a mission to attain Gold Award status by extending our influence and increasing our support for colleagues who have and currently serve. You can read about our awards by following the below links...
Bronze Award - Click Here
Silver Award - Click Here.
The NHS website provides more information on the healthcare choices for the Armed Forces community, which can be accessed here.
You can find out more on the Armed Forces Covenant website.
Veterans’ Aware accreditation is awarded to reflect an NHS provider's commitment to deliver the best healthcare and support to veterans and their families.
We’ve volunteered to sign-up a series of pledges and submitted evidence to the Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance (VCHA) to show how we’re currently meeting them.
As part of Our Armed Forces Commitment, we would like to share awareness of the Op RESTORE programme. It is an NHS Service referred to as The Veterans Physical Health and Wellbeing Service and mirrors our belief and wish to support individuals who have served or just leaving the armed forces. We know from the examples of our own people below, that it can be a jarring experience, made worse if the individual has continuing physical health injuries or related health conditions to cope with.
This leaflet explains more about the service and how it can help former service men and women.