Armed Forces Staff Support
Supporting staff from the Armed Forces
We appreciate the valuable skills and cultural values developed by Armed Forces personnel. These skills are a great match for working in the NHS, and we warmly invite job applications from current and former Armed Forces members and their families.
We have policies and practices in place to support the Armed Forces community, such as:
- Ex-forces and veterans
- Serving reservists
- Partners, families, and children
- Adult cadet volunteers
Our support package includes:
- Tailored support before, during, and after Armed Forces Reservist deployments
- Two weeks of special paid leave for annual training commitments for Armed Forces Reservists
- Additional support for colleagues who are family members of Regular and Reserve Armed Forces personnel
Our commitment to being an outstanding Armed Forces employer
We strive to be recognised as an outstanding Armed Forces employer. We value the diverse experiences and transferable skills you bring, whether you are a service leaver, ex-military, or a family member.
Our strong commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant has been recognised through the trust being awarded a prestigious Gold award by the MoD (Ministry of Defence) in July 2022 in recognition of our efforts to become an Armed Forces Friendly Employer.
We’re committed to helping our Veterans caring for their mental and physical health, and supporting their family and carers.
Find out more about how we support veterans healthcare (opens new browser tab)
Armed Forces Staff Network
Through our Armed Forces staff network colleagues from all aspects of the Armed Forces Community who work across the trust are able to meet, share experiences, attend events and provide mutual support and advice as a team.
Supporting Veterans healthcare
We’re committed to helping our Veterans in every way possible; caring for their mental and physical health, supporting them and their family and carers to live a healthy and happy lifestyle, and ensuring that they have equal access to any employment opportunities within our organisation.
We’re committed to helping our Veterans caring for their mental and physical health, and supporting their family and carers.
Find out more about how we support veterans healthcare (opens new browser tab)
Whether you're leaving the Armed Forces, a relocating family member, or a young person finishing school, we're here to help you start your NHS career. We offer support, guidance, and experience to help you achieve your career goals.
Transitioning to a new career can be exciting and daunting. We provide:
- Career conversations and job reflection
- Application and interview tips
- Work experience opportunities
Professionally qualified service leavers
If you're a Doctor, Nurse or Allied Health Professional (AHP) with the necessary qualifications, we offer work experience to help you understand our services and roles. This includes:
- Doctors: Our medical team welcomes those keen to explore roles as a Psychiatrist.
- Nurses: If you have experience as a Nurse in the armed forces, your experience is applicable to many of our nursing roles. Our work experience will allow you experience these teams and help you decide on your future pathway:
- Community Nursing
- Care Home Support
- Hi Tec
- Bowel & Bladder services
- Lower Limb service
- Tissue Viability
- Heart Failure
- Occupational Therapists: We want to provide a work experience that is tailored to your interest and needs. Our Profession Lead will be happy to discuss with you our services, from children’s, through to inpatients, community and veterans, and match you to the best service based on your experience.
- Physiotherapists: Our MSK services across Berkshire are a wonderful place to experience not only the service but the care provided to our patients. Our Profession Lead will be happy to discuss the service most suited to you for your work experience.
Service leavers seeking non-clinical roles
There are 350 different careers in the NHS, many of which are non-clinical. Your Armed Forces skills are highly applicable. Opportunities exist in our estates and facilities and other central services teams.
If you're an Armed Forces spouse relocating and seeking your next role, we offer career support, including job guidance, application and interview support.
For young people considering their next steps, we offer:
- Career advice
- Apprenticeships
- Work experience in nursing, dentistry, therapy, dietetics, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, podiatry, and speech and language therapy.
Learn more about our workplace shadowing and experience opportunities
We collaborate with:
- The Career Transition Partnership (CTP): Provides resettlement support for Armed Forces leavers. Learn more at CTP
- Forces Employment Charity: Offers career coaching, training, and job sourcing. Visit Forces Employment Charity for details
- Step Into Health: Connects Armed Forces Community members to NHS roles. Register at Step Into Health
Visit Step Into Health to register (new browser tab)
Contact us for more information on the support on offer.
Email jobs@berkshire.nhs.uk