Ex-military celebrate careers in the NHS

Changing career is never easy but an initiative that has helped more than 160 former service personnel in London and the South East apply for jobs in the NHS is celebrating its success.

Guy’s and St Thomas’ is one of 10 NHS organisations in the region taking part in the Step into Health scheme. The Trust has provided 35 placements and nine permanent jobs for service veterans since it joined the scheme in 2015.

Director of Workforce, Ann Macintyre and Staynton Brown, Associate Director, Equality and Human Rights, spoke at a celebratory event on Thursday 22 June.

Staynton says: "We are proud to lead the Step Into Health programme across London, Surrey and Kent.

"It has been hugely successful and continues to go from strength to strength. The success of the programme is founded on the commitment and support of colleagues from the Trust and our partner NHS organisations. We are bringing in talent from the Armed Forces to make a difference to improve patient care."

The event was attended by 70 people including senior NHS and military people and the Mayor of Kensington, Councillor Marie-Therese Rossi, who said: “The idea of a well-trained, close knit, professional group of people who are ready to serve applies equally to the Armed Forces and to the Health Service. Both are there for us when we need them.

"Both are organisations of which we are immensely proud and for which this country is rightfully famous worldwide.”

For more information about the Step into Health programme contact Danielle Fullwood at [email protected].