Published on: 1 July 2019
NHS employers across the North East of England have joined together to encourage the Armed Forces community to ‘Step into Health’.
South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust will host the first event of its kind in the region at Sunderland Royal Hospital on Thursday, July 11th, for service leavers, veterans and their families to gain a better understanding of the NHS and its partners and of how to access the wide range of jobs available.
Other NHS organisations involved include:
- Northumberland Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust
- North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust
- Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
- The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- NHS Business Services Authority
- North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust
- City Hospitals Independent Commercial Enterprises Limited (CHoICE)
The Step into Health programme recognises the transferable skills and cultural values that Armed Forces personnel have developed and how these skills and values are compatible with working in the NHS. It highlights the many career opportunities available and supports them in gaining employment within the NHS, which is the largest employer in Europe, offering over 350 different careers, almost half of which are non-clinical.
South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust is a staunch Armed Forces-friendly employer. It holds the Ministry of Defence’s Employer Recognition Gold Award - the highest badge of honour available to those that employ and support those who serve, veterans, and their families. Last week, on Reserves Day, which highlighted the valuable role reservists play, the Trust reaffirmed its support for Step into Health.
The Trust’s Chief Executive Ken Bremner said: “We are proud to consider ourselves a forces-friendly organisation and it is very important to us that we support those who have put their lives on the line for the country. Service leavers have many transferable skills and are experienced in working in a dynamic and diverse environment which make them ideal candidates for roles with NHS employers in our region.”
The Step into Health event will be held in the Education Centre at Sunderland Royal Hospital, 9.30am-1pm, on Thursday, July 11th. Those wishing to attend are being asked to book. To pre-register and to find out more information please email workdiscovery@stft.nhs.uk or telephone 0191 4041149,
