NHS Forth Valley has received a Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) Silver Award which was presented after a Royal Gun Salute at Stirling Castle to mark The Queen’s 96th birthday.
Chief Executive, Cathie Cowan and Chair, Janie McCusker accepted the award on behalf of NHS Forth Valley from General Bill Wright CBE, General Officer Scotland.
The certificates are for employers who joined the Ministry of Defence scheme in 2015/16, with both Gold and Silver awards reviewed and revalidated on a rolling five-year basis.
NHS Forth Valley’s Silver Award was renewed in 2021, cementing their pledge and forces-friendly approach. The formal presentation was delayed until 2022 due to Covid-19 restrictions.
The ERS Silver Award is in recognition of the exceptional support employers and organisations, such as NHS Forth Valley, provide to the Armed Forces community and Defence.
Silver Award winners must meet certain criteria, including: employing at least one individual from the Armed Forces community, actively ensuring that their workforce is aware of their positive policies, demonstrating support to mobilisations of reservists and providing at least five days’ additional leave for training. The revalidations recognise the long-term support employers have given to the Armed Forces community and highlight that, through their consistent support over a sustained period of time, they have been able to continue to champion and demonstrate their forces-friendly measures.
