Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS foundation Trust recognises the valuable contribution that the Armed Forces community makes to our workforce, patients and communities.

All colleagues who are service leavers, Veterans and forces family members bring invaluable skills, knowledge and experience. 

Their experiences and values matter to us – and we are honoured to be a forces friendly hospital, to have signed the Armed Forces Covenant and to hold a Silver Employer Recognition Scheme Award.

The Armed Forces Covenant and Defence Employer Recognition Scheme both reflect Chesterfield Royal Hospital’s commitment to the wider armed forces agenda and indicate our pledge that those who serve, have served and their families, are treated fairly.

We continue to look at ways in which we can encourage colleagues to become reservists or cadet leaders, and how we can support those in our workforce who are reservists, cadet leaders, veterans and their families who work with us. To support this we have an Armed Forces Lead – Claire Lambie, and she can be reached on claire.lambie@nhs.net.

To support this we have an Armed Forces Network, chaired by Claire Lambie and they hold regular meetings throughout the year.

Chesterfield Royal Hospital recognises your service, and we want to work with you to make it as easy as possible for you to work here, even if you wish to continue to serve in the Armed Forces – as a reservist or as a cadet forces adult volunteer.

We know that reservists play an essential role in our Armed Forces, and they make a vital contribution to protecting the nation’s security at home and abroad, giving up valuable spare time alongside their professional and personal lives.

Reservist colleagues, or Cadet Forces Adult Volunteers are not disadvantaged, and we remain committed, through our Reserve Forces Training and Mobility policy, to granting additional paid leave of up to 10 days per year. We also work with line managers to ensure that team members are supported with leave and shift management wherever practical.

As part of our commitment to the Armed Forces, it is important to us that our records are up to date – if you are part of the Armed Forces family, a reservist or a family member of a serving member then please inform your HR partner – or ask Claire Lambie, Armed Forces Lead, for support.

For more information about becoming a Reservist, please click here Joining the Army Reserve - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

We continue to work with our Veterans Network to develop the support we can offer to patients who are serving members of he Armed Forces, or those that have served and their families. If you are serving or have ever served in the Armed Forces, please let us know and we will put you in touch with organisations who are able to offer information, advice and support.

The Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance (VCHA) is a group of over 60 NHS Acute trusts who are working to provide the best care for our Armed Forces community in line with the commitments set out in the Armed Forces Covenant.

We believe that veterans are a key component to the wider armed forces community and in that term we include anyone who has served at least one day in the UK Armed Forces – either as a regular or a reservist, and includes those who did National Service.

We recognise that many veterans do not realise that they veteran status may be relevant to their health and specific needs and often their service and its impact may be overlooked. The veterans community covers a wide age range and health care needs may differ significantly.

Claire Lambie, Veteran Network Lead, and the Veteran Network throughout the Trust work to support the delivery of the highest quality of care for our Veterans and their families.

The Veterans Gateway Advice and support for veterans & ex-forces | Veterans' Gateway (veteransgateway.org.uk) is also available to provide information, advice and support for veterans and their families and is a point of contact for veterans seeking support. They put veterans and their families in touch with the organisations best placed to help with information, advice and support they need – from healthcare and housing to employment and financial advice.

The Veterans Gateway can be contacted by telephone on 0808 802 1212 or by texting 81212.

We do not work alone.

To support veterans and their loved ones we have existing and new relationships with local veterans groups: