Four organisations in the Highland RFCA-area have been presented with Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) Silver Award revalidations for 2022.
NHS Fife and NHS Grampian both originally received their ERS Silver Awards in 2014, having received their first revalidations in 2017. Aberdein Considine and Thorntons Law LLP both received their Silver Awards in 2017. Both Silver and Gold Awards are reviewed and revalidated on a rolling five-year basis.
Highland RFCA Regional Employer Engagement Director (REED) Ray Watt visited NHS Fife at Hayfield House in Kirkcaldy on August 2 and NHS Grampian at Dr Gray’s Hospital in Elgin on August 8 to present their 2022 revalidations.
NHS Fife Chief Executive, Carol Potter, said: “It is a great privilege to receive this recognition from the Ministry of Defence. NHS Fife has a rich history of working together with our colleagues in the Armed Forces, and we are proud signatories of the Armed Forces Covenant.
“Our longstanding relationship is embedded in our workforce policies, and we are committed to ensuring NHS Fife is flexible around the training commitments of reservists, as well as providing support to instructors, veterans, military spouses, and partners.
“The organisation’s Armed Forces and Veterans Champion, Mairi McKinley, also works to develop policies and practices that continue to encourage collaborative working between NHS Fife and our Armed Forces.”
The Award from the Ministry of Defence (MOD) is in recognition of the support the organisations give to the Armed Forces community.
Ray said: “NHS Grampian has once again shown their commitment to supporting Defence personnel and Veterans by revalidating their Employer Recognition Scheme Silver Award. I am delighted to be able to present NHS Grampian with their richly deserved Award. I’m looking forward to assisting NHS Grampian to continue to strive towards their declared aim of achieving the Gold Award.”
Highland RFCA’s other REED Roy McLellan presented the revalidated Awards to Aberdein Considine in Perth and Thorntons Law LLP in Dundee.
The Defence Employer Recognition Scheme recognises those who demonstrate or advocate support to the Armed Forces community and align their values with the Armed Forces Covenant – a pledge from the nation that those who serve or who have served and their families are treated fairly.
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.
Fifteen organisations in the HRFCA-area received ERS Silver Awards in 2022, with a further seven companies having their existing Awards revalidated. Awards were presented to the new winners at Scone Palace in June. Click HERE to read the full story.
