• The NHS is the UK’s largest employer, involving over 1.5 million people over 350 career roles.  Many of the roles are not clinical, such as administration, human resources, project management, facilities and estate management, operational management and support, domestic support, to name a few,  Opportunities are available everywhere across the country and could be close to where you live or wish to settle after leaving the Armed Forces. Many NHS roles do not require prior healthcare training or experience and everyone in the NHS works together to make the difference to people’s lives every day. 
• As an Armed Forces Service Leaver, Reservist, Veteran, or family member of someone who is, you have a wide range of experience and skills that are not only transferrable to the NHS but are also extremely sought after. These may include:
• Communication skills
• Leadership & Management
• Information technology
• Problem solving
• Decision making
• Team working
• Commitment
• Resilience
• Flexibility
• Adaptable to change

Find the role that’s right for you by taking the NHS careers quiz and exploring the different roles on offer.

Take our careers quiz | Health Careers

Explore roles | Health Careers

NHS Career Booklet for Service Leavers

Looking for a new career and have you considered the NHS?

UHNM is signed up to 'Step into Health' national programme to help all ex-armed service personnel, veterans and their spouse/partner to join the NHS.  The Step into Health programme has been created because the NHS recognises the transferable skills and cultural values that Armed Forces personnel develop when serving, and how they are compatible with those required within NHS roles.

Developed in conjunction with The Royal Foundation and Walking With The Wounded, Step into Health provides a dedicated pathway for the Armed Forces community to access the numerous career opportunities available in the NHS.

Step into Health is open to all Service Leavers and Veterans and their spouse/partner. It is an incredible opportunity in which employers are working with the Armed Forces Community to provide career and development opportunities within the NHS.

Find out more at here

UHNM achieved the gold award in the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) in 2019, the scheme encourages employers to support defence and inspire others to do the same.

To help achieve this UHNM signed The Armed Forces Covenant, which is aimed at promoting fair treatment for the Armed Forces community, removing disadvantage and ensuring that they get the same access to services as the civilian community.

More information.

In accordance with our commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant, where practicable to do so, we will endeavour to offer a degree of flexibility in granting leave for service spouse’s partners, before, during and after a partner’s deployment. 

Click here to visit our Working Here section to find out about work experience and volunteering at UHNM. You can also find our current vacancies and apply online.

1. If the job application process includes a tick box asking whether you are a member of the Armed Forces community, make sure to tick this. – some organisations offer guaranteed interview schemes if you meet the minimum essential criteria.
2. Don’t be afraid to get in touch with the point of contact cited on the job advert. It is always useful to have an initial conversation to ask more about the role and identify the key skills and attributes they are looking for as this is often difficult to articulate on a job description.
3. Highlight the skills you gained from the Armed Forces or being part of the community. For example, operational skills could help you implement new systems within the NHS. Being able to make difficult decisions under pressure would be a valuable attribute to many teams across the NHS. 
4. Do not undersell yourself or underestimate the importance of your personal skills, leadership and management skills you have learnt whilst part of the Armed Forces Community.  Many of these form part of what is known as transferable skills.
5. When completing the application form, answer directly to the person specification. Use headings and subheadings to clearly show how you meet each requirement.
6. Get to know about UHNM Trust and its Strategic Objectives, Corporate Values and Promises. See how you can link them to your military values and standards. 
7. Where applicable, use the ‘situation, task, action, result (STAR) or ‘challenge, action, result (CAR)’ techniques to articulate your answer to questions in the job application.  Subject to being shortlisted for interview, you can also use this approach when answering questions as part of an interview process.
8. Being able to quickly adapt to changing environments and uplift others while managing a crisis would help the NHS during difficult periods, such as tackling the current COVID-19 pandemic. Make sure you emphasise all relevant experiences you have.

Tri Services & Veterans Support Centre

With hubs located in Newcastle-under-Lyme and Hanley, the centre is run for veterans by veterans and they utilise a 'hub' based approach to supporting veterans in need. The centre has extensive links with local services and businesses such as SSAFA, Veterans UK, Walking with the wounded and many more.

Visit the veteran support centre website here.

The Royal British Legion

Help support veterans and their families. Helpline 0808 802 8080

Battle Back Centre

The Battle Back Centre Lilleshall was established by the Royal British Legion in 2011 to support wounded and injured service personnel returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. If you’d like to find out more about our Battle Back Centre please get in touch with our team on 01952 815 670 for serving personnel or on 01952 815681 for veteran. https://www.britishlegion.org.uk/get-support/physical-and-mental-wellbeing/recovery-centres/the-battle-back-centre

Veterans Helpline     

The Ministry of Defence’s Veterans UK helpline provides assistance on many issues including benefits, housing and welfare.    

veterans-uk@mod.gov.uk
0808 1914 218 

Walking with the Wounded (WWTW)

WWTW supports disadvantaged veterans who have served in the Armed Forces and their families, empowering them to regain their independence, thrive and contribute in our communities.

info@wwtw.org.uk
01263 863900

SSAFA 

SSAFA helps the armed forces community in a number of ways, such as providing direct support to individuals in need of physical or emotional care.

SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity

Contact Forcesline, our help desk for any member of the armed forces, veterans and their families, on 0800 260 6767, or send them a message using their Forcesline contact form.

The Warrior Programme

Enables individuals to manage their emotions and to develop the resilience, focus and motivation to succeed in today’s world. The programme has been developed over the last fifteen years to meet the demands and challenges experienced by past and present members of the armed forces and their families.

The Warrior Programme

Email: ENQUIRIES@WARRIORPROGRAMME.

ORG.UK

Contact Tel: +44 (0)808 801 0898

Op NOVA

Provides support for veterans who are in contact with the justice system, enabling them to access the services they need.

Tel: 0800 917 7299

Email: opnova@forcesemployment.org.uk

Secure justice email address for Police, Probation Service and Liaison and Diversion use only: 

opnova@forcesemployment.cjsm.net

More information on the service available to veterans and an easy to use service locator tool can be found on NHS Choices.  

Discharged servicemen and women are able to access Defence Mental Health Services up to 6 months after leaving the armed forces.  It is important that once an individual knows their location after discharge that they register with a local GP as soon as possible.  This will enable better continuation of care and alert services of their needs.

Defence Medical Welfare Service (DMWS)

The DMWS provide medical welfare to the armed forces, veterans, NHS staff, emergency services, The Merchant Navy and their immediate family when they are receiving treatment in hospital.  A dedicated DMWS officer is located at the University Hospitals of North Midlands (UHNM) Trust that covers Royal Stoke and County (Stafford) Hospitals.

DMWS – Defence Medical Welfare Service

Email:  referrals@dmws.org.uk

Call us:  0800 999 3697

Our helpline is free to call and available Monday-Friday 9am-5pm. Please note this is not an emergency line. To find out more about the service, please visit this page.

Op RESTORE (previously called The Veterans Trauma Network (VTN))

Op RESTORE is a dedicated Veterans Physical Health and Wellbeing Service.  This brings the service in line with other Armed Forces healthcare services provided by the NHS in England, Op COURAGE: The Veterans Mental Health and Wellbeing Service; Op NOVA; Supporting Veterans in the Justice System and, most recently Op COMMUNITY; Armed Forces Community Support, helping to build a recognisable suite of services.

Op RESTORE is a service for anyone who has served at least one day in the UK Armed Forces and, as a result of their service, acquired a significant, lasting physical illness or injury.

Op RESTORE will continue to accept only GP referrals; GPs can obtain a referral form by emailing imperial.oprestore@nhs.net

Blesma

For veterans who have experienced life-changing limb loss, lost the use of a limb, or lost sight during service, as well as their families.

Blesma, The Limbless Veterans, offers advice and support through their local support officers. Blesma also provides financial assistance to help with the additional costs of disability.

Website: Blesma website

Blesma phone number: 020 8590 1124

Blind Veterans

For veterans who have experienced sight loss and their families.
Blind Veterans offers community groups, rehabilitation and support with care as well as advice on their website.

Website:  Blind Veterans website

Phone number: 0800 389 7979 (from Monday to Friday, 9am – 5pm, excluding bank holidays

Veterans Hearing Foundation

We support veterans from all branches of the UK armed forces. All of which have developed hearing problems by things such as loud machinery, use of guns and vehicles.

Contact Email:  info@veteranshearing.org.uk

Webpage: https://www.veteranshearing.org.uk/

Tel: 01455 248900

Togetherall

Provide safe anonymous support to anyone struggling with common health issues.

www.togetherall.com

Via a smartphone app members can talk to each other anonymously and share experiences and follow guided self-help courses and topics such as managing anxiety, dealing with alcohol, getting better sleep. Tests and guides to improve wellbeing and trained counsellors are on hand at all times to moderate the service and provide support.

Op COURAGE: The Veterans Mental Health and Wellbeing Service

This is the new name for:

• The Veterans’ Mental Health Transition, Intervention and Liaison Service (TILS)
• The Veterans’ Mental Health Complex Treatment Service (CTS)
• The Veterans’ Mental Health High Intensity Service (HIS)

To contact the MIDLANDS or EAST of England service directly, call 0300 323 0137 or email: mevs.mhm@nhs.net

More details around this service can be found at:

https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/armed-forces-and-veterans-healthcare/veterans-nhs-mental-health-services/

Contact information for all Op COURAGE centres

Combat Stress/Rethink

Emotional support, a listening ear and signposting service     

helpline@combatstress.org.uk
24 hour Freephone Helpline 0800 138 1619

Help for Heroes Recovery College

They offer educational courses about mental health and recovery which are designed to increase students' knowledge and skills and to help them feel more confident in self-management of their own mental health and well-being. Help for Heroes have opened one that is specifically for veterans suffering these issues. 

To access these courses you ideally need to be referred to a H4H case worker. Someone can approach H4H direct, but there is an aspiration to be able to referred through other mechanisms such as a ‘social prescriber’ at a GP surgery

https://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/get-support/recovery-college/self-help-guides-to-recovery/

Headfit

IMO Headfit is a really useful website for giving you some tips and ideas on how to improve your mental resilience, aimed at the serving soldiers but more than suitable for everyone

https://headfit.org/home/

All Call Signs

All Call Signs is an award-winning peer support organisation for veterans and serving military personnel. Our chat app is manned by over 700 volunteer listeners with experience of life in uniform and our digital caseworkers bridge the gaps in veteran’s mental health services for hundreds of users seeking help.

https://allcallsigns.org/
Call 023 9438 7914

Salute Her UK

For women veterans who are survivors of military sexual trauma and their families.

Salute Her UK provides a support service which offers mental health therapy and interventions for women survivors of military sexual trauma in a single sex environment.

Walk Talk Action

Provide signposting, retreats and programmes to people in Stoke on Trent & beyond in order to help those with: Depression (including postnatal depression), Anxiety, Midlife crisis, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Isolation/Loneliness and/or are a Veteran; As well as general health and well-being.  The charity organises regular walks, offers a ten week programme  to suit each persons’ individual needs; through walking, talking and taking action.  Every Friday (1300 – 1430) at St Claire’s Church Centre in Meir Park, Stoke on Trent ST3 7TW there is a professional and community drop in where you are invited to come along and meet other people and organisations within the area.

Website: www.walktalkaction.co.uk  

Phone: 07804577783

Email: info@walktalkaction.co.uk

Our Hidden Wounds service

Provides free and confidential psychological wellbeing advice and support to eligible veterans and their families.  We offer a clinical assessment to help identify the most appropriate treatment plan, followed by a range of evidence-based psychological therapies tailored to individual needs.

Sessions are run by a qualified psychological wellbeing therapist and include access to self-guided support and one to one and group therapy sessions.

Website:  Hidden Wounds Service | Help for Heroes

Landau Ltd

Landau offer individualised support in finding the right job for each person, as well as time-unlimited assistance in the job, to both the veteran and the employer. We have Veterans specific Employment Specialists and advisors who have previously serviced in the Armed Forces and/or have strong connections to the forces.

We work in close conjunction with RBL caseworkers who support Veteran’s in Staffordshire and their families in a multitude of areas.

https://www.landau.co.uk/veteran-employment-services/

Contact 01782 324398

Landau Training & Enterprise Centre

Waterside Drive,
Stoke-on-Trent
ST3 3NW

Tel: 01782 324 398

SSAFA

Provide lifelong support to veterans to help them settle into life and work outside the forces.

Staffordshire@ssafa.org.uk
01785 212680 or Helpline 0800 731 4880

The Poppy Factory

Employment support for veterans with mental and physical health conditions.

admin@poppyfactory.org
0208 940 3305

Samaritan Veterans Support

Samaritans works with the Ministry of Defence and other charities to support serving personnel in the Armed Forces, veterans, and their families. https://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help/military/  A veterans app in conjunction with the MOD is also available for Apple and Android devices. 

A veterans app in conjunction with the MOD is also available for Apple and Android devices.

Career Transition Partnership (CTP)

The CTP provides resettlement recruitment services for those leaving the Royal Navy, Army, Royal Air Force and Marines. Regardless of time served, all members of the Armed Forces can benefit from CTP employment support when leaving Service.

Website: Resettlement for Ex-Service Personnel | Ex Armed Forces Recruitment from CTP

Lifeworks

The Lifeworks programme equips veterans and serving Armed Forces family members with the tools they need to achieve a career outside the military. The course and assistance going forward are tailored to suit the career goals and aspirations of each individual into the future.

https://wearelifeworks.org.uk/

The Forces Employment Charity

Provides life-long, life-changing support, jobs and training opportunities to Service leavers, veterans, reservists and their spouses, partners and children, regardless of circumstances, rank, length of service, or reason for leaving.

Forces Employment Charity

Charities and organisations exist to help support veterans who are homeless. The Staffordshire Connects link below signposts to several local organisations that can help. 

https://www.staffordshireconnects.info/kb5/staffordshire/directory/results.page?coverage=stokeontrent&adultchannel=7-1

Stoke-on-Trent City Council

Homeless or at risk?

Click here to find out what support is available

Newcastle Under Lyme Borough Council

Facing Homelessness

Click here to find out what support is available

Staffordshire Moorlands District Council

Click here to find out what support is available

Stafford Borough Council - Housing Advice - I have lost or I am worried about losing my home

Click here to find out what support is available

The Macari Centre

Helping end homelessness in Stoke-on-Trent.  The centre provides support and accommodation to around 50 individuals, along with four meals a day, at their base on Regent Road, Hanley.  The Macari Centre in Hanley is open every day of the year, 24 hours a day, including Christmas Day (this includes accepting new customers, where capacity allows).

Website:  Home - Macari Foundation (macari-foundation.co.uk)

Phone:   07500 771 682 or 07884 586 129

Email:  via webpage Contact - Macari Foundation (macari-foundation.co.uk)

Veterans Connect is a community-based organisation in and around Stoke founded by veterans with lived experience in the areas that we cover. We have a welfare van that we take out into community with a team of volunteer nurses and support staff. We engage with the homeless, identifying health and social needs and provide instant access to medical treatment. We can also signpost and refer to other services such as mental health or ensure access to the correct medical equipment.

Website:  Home | Veterans Connect

Phone: 07368183509 / 01782 363553

Email: info@veteransconnect.org.uk

Leaving the Armed Forces support guide

Naval Families Federation - Championing Royal Navy & Royal Marines families (nff.org.uk)

contactus@nff.org.uk

Tel: 02392 654374

We’re a totally confidential service, we understand the challenges of Navy life but aren’t a formal part of the Naval Service.

Whether you need help with schools, where you live or work, your finances, your future, a posting overseas, relationships or your health, our concern is always for you, our Naval Service family.

Army Families Federation - Supporting Army families worldwide (aff.org.uk)

contact@aff.org.uk

Tel: 01264 554004

The Army Families Federation (AFF) is the independent voice of Army families and works hard to improve the quality of life for Army families around the world – on any aspect that is affected by the Army lifestyle.

AFF is independent of the Army and offers confidential advice. We will deal with your enquiry without revealing your identity.

RAF Families Federation Home > RAF Families Federation (raf-ff.org.uk)

https://www.raf-ff.org.uk/report-an-issue-form-2/

Tel: 01780 781650

We work to improve quality of life for RAF personnel and their families around the world – at work or at home. We help to resolve issues such as; access to education or healthcare for children and young people, sorting out problems with accommodation, benefits and visas, or helping military spouses find meaningful employment – all issues that arise from having a mobile lifestyle.

By telling us about a problem you face, we can provide practical support and advice, as well as lobby for change with politicians, the Chain of Command and policy makers in the British Government and across Scotland, Wales and NI.

Home - Little Troopers

info@littletroopers.net

Little Troopers is a registered charity supporting all military children who have parent(s) serving in our British Armed Forces, regular or reserve.

These children often face unique challenges including frequent house and school moves, as well as regular periods of separation from their serving parent(s) for varying lengths of time due to exercises, training, operations and other service commitments.

As a charity, Little Troopers ensures our British Armed Forces children and their families have access to child-focused support, providing fundamental resources and initiatives.

The Charity for Bereaved Military Children | Scotty's Little Soldiers (scottyslittlesoldiers.co.uk)

hello@scottyslittlesoldiers.co.uk

Tel: 0800 0928571

Scotty’s Little Soldiers is a charity dedicated to supporting bereaved military children & young people who have experienced the death of a parent who served in the British Armed Forces.

Inspired by the experience of Army widow Nikki Scott following the death of her husband Corporal Lee Scott in Afghanistan in 2009, the charity is currently providing assistance to hundreds of bereaved Forces children and young people around the UK.

Home - Reading Force

info@readingforce.org.uk

Tel: 07566 200 299

At Reading Force, we are passionate about using books to bring Forces children and families closer together. Our shared reading initiative encourages families to read, talk, and scrapbook about a book, improving communication and enriching relationships with books and each other – one page at a time.

The Ripple Pond - Supporting adult family members of physically or psychologically

injured British Armed Forces personnel and veterans.

Website: Home | The Ripple Pond - Injured UK Veteran Family Support

Email: help@theripplepond.org

Telephone: 0333 900 1028

Their purpose is to facilitate Veterans and serving Armed Forces personnel to meet face to face in a relaxed safe, social environment to enjoy breakfast and banter, to combat loneliness and allow veterans to 'return to the tribe'.

Crewe - https://www.afvbc.net/find-a-club/crewe-armed-forces-veterans-breakfast-club/https://www.afvbc.net/clubs/stoke-south/

Stafford - https://www.afvbc.net/clubs/stafford/

The Royal Naval Benevolent Trust

www.rnbt.org.uk - More information

Make a Will with our free Will writing service - Click here

Soldiers Charity

https://soldierscharity.org/

Royal Air Force

https://www.rafbf.org/

They provide a range of support aimed at serving and former RAF personnel and their dependants. This includes welfare breaks, grants to help with financial difficulty and getting about inside and outside the home, specialist advice on benefits and support with care needs, as well as support for young people through our Airplay programme. Take a look at a guide to their services.

The Reserve forces play a crucial role in national security from countering security threats, peacekeeping and humanitarian efforts abroad to supporting communities at home.

Some of the benefits of joining the reserves are:

• paid for your time and a tax free bounty
• special paid leave (see per individual department human resources policy)
• pension
• training and qualifications
• sports and adventure training
• overseas travel
• armed forces railcard

Find out more at - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/armed-forces-reserves-a-quick-guide/armed-forces-reserves-a-quick-guide

202 Field Hospital is a hospital that can be deployed anywhere in the world and set up using tents or existing buildings to provide medical care to soldiers and if need be, civilians, in the field.

The hospital has a proud history of service on the front line. It was the first Reserve Field Hospital during operations in Iraq and also saw action in Afghanistan.

It is made up of dedicated healthcare professionals including doctors, nurses and medical staff from hospitals across the West Midlands, Staffordshire and Shropshire.

Find out more here or email 202HOSP-RHQ-Recruiting@mod.gov.uk

WM RFCA is one of 13 RFCAs across the UK that came into existence at the same time as the Territorial Army in 1908.

Their role is to support the Reserve Forces and Cadets from the Royal Navy, Royal Marines,  Army and Royal Air Force within the counties of Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Worcestershire and Herefordshire and the Metropolitan Boroughs of Wolverhampton, Walsall, Dudley, Sandwell, Birmingham, Solihull and Coventry.

https://www.wmrfca.org/wm-rfca/

Home to over 1200 cadets and 200 adult volunteers in 38 detachments across staffordshire and west midlands.

https://armycadets.com/county/staffordshire-and-west-midlands-north-acf/

Find your nearest squadron - https://www.raf.mod.uk/aircadets/find-a-squadron/.

Sea Cadets is different from school. There's a lot of learning. But it's done through activities – on the water and off the water – and our volunteers leading by example. 

It's also different from home, a break from screens and being cooped up inside. The platform we offer is built on the customs and traditions of the Royal Navy. It inspires our work and commitment to supporting young people today.

Find a sea cadets near you - https://www.sea-cadets.org/