The Trust has announced that it has been awarded the Ministry of Defence (MOD) Employer Recognition Gold Award as part of its ongoing commitment to supporting the armed forces community.
The latest award, which comes just two years after MKUH first signed the Armed Forces Covenant, reflects the significant work that it has done to support patients who are veterans, staff who are reservists or spouses of members of the armed forces, and for establishing links with veteran services so that both staff and patients can access the support they need.
The MOD Employer Recognition scheme encourages employers across the country to do more for the Armed Forces in their area and the gold award is the highest badge of honour that an organisation can receive.
The scheme acknowledges those who have Armed Forces friendly recruiting and HR policies, as well as promoting opportunities in the Reserve Forces and the opportunity to train as cadet instructors. MKUH is now one of only four other organisations in Milton Keynes to receive gold status, joining MK Council, Network Rail and DHL.
Joe Harrison, Chief Executive at MKUH, said: “I am delighted that the Trust has been awarded gold status following several years of great work.
“As one of the biggest employers in the city, we know that there are many individuals who have an armed forces connection, whether that be directly or indirectly so providing the appropriate support is fundamental to assisting their wellbeing. I am proud we are helping to lead the way alongside our local authority and other large employers.”
The Trust signed the Armed Forces Covenant on 25 May 2021, before being awarded the silver award in May 2022. Over the last two years, we have introduced an array of schemes and initiatives to support staff, patients and their families who have a veteran connection, including an Armed Forces Staff Network, Armed Forces Volunteers to support patients, delivering Armed Forces specific training to staff and have developed an MK specific Armed Forces directory of services so that staff can quickly and effectively signpost. The Trust also received the Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance ‘Purple Tick’ accreditation in Spring 2023, further demonstrating our firm commitment to the Armed Forces community.
Johanna Hrycak, Armed Forces Covenant Support Officer at MKUH, said: “It is a huge honour for MKUH to receive the gold award in such a short period of time, demonstrating the immense support that we have received from our Armed Forces community. We do not plan to stop here and will continue to develop our offering so that every individual with an armed forces connection receives the best possible care and experience from the hospital.”
