Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT) is proud to have received silver accreditation from the Ministry of Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS).
The award formally recognises the Trust as a forces-friendly employer that supports the recruitment of ex-armed forces personnel, members of the armed forces and their partners.
Armed forces personnel, including those who may be wounded, sick or injured, are not unfairly disadvantaged during Trust recruitment selection processes and policies are in place to support reservist employees fulfil training and mobilisation commitments.
Sally Morris, Chief Executive Officer at EPUT, said: “Not only does this award recognise the support we can offer prospective employees from the armed forces community, but also the commitment we have made to our existing employees who may be reserve members of the forces.”
The award builds on the Trust receiving bronze accreditation from the ERS in February and follows Sally Morris signing the Armed Forces Covenant in November 2019.
The covenant represents a commitment to treating serving personnel, veterans and their families with fairness and respect and recognises the Trust’s work in helping ex-service men and women with mental health needs.
The Trust’s Transition, Intervention and Liaison Service (TILS) aims to re-integrate service users into everyday life by helping them access therapies for anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.
David Powell, regional lead of the service, is a reservist and army cadet unit instructor. He said: “Serious trauma can have a devastating effect on the lives of service men and women.
I am proud of the support the Trust those who find themselves discharged during service or who experience mental health problems later in life. They have, after all, given everything for us.”
The Trust hopes to work towards gold accreditation in the future.