As reported by ITV News, the NHS is rolling out a new initiative under its Long Term Workforce Plan to recruit former armed forces members, aiming to bring their unique skills to the healthcare sector
In England, universities will host open days which will give people an insight into the careers on offer.
12,000 military personnel leave their role every year with the NHS looking to utilise their “transferrable skills.”
In a statement the NHS said: “Their transferable skills, including leadership, resilience and compassion, leave them with much to offer the NHS, and many already meet the entry requirements to undertake a suitable training programme.”
Chief workforce officer at NHS England Navina Evans said: “This campaign is a fantastic example of the NHS finding new and innovative ways to showcase the brilliant careers on offer in the NHS – with armed force recruits able to experience different roles in real time before deciding if it is a career they would like to pursue.
“Growing the number of allied health professionals in the NHS is a key part of the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan – and our ambition is to increase the number of these professionals by around 70,000.
“To succeed in this goal and build a workforce which is fit for the future, we need to recruit staff from a wide range of backgrounds and former armed service personnel offer a fantastic depth of skills that are suited to these professions.”
The Long Term Workforce Plan is targeting an extra 71,000 health professionals working by 2037.
Health Minister Andrew Stephenson said: “We want the UK to be the best place in the world for veterans, who have done so much to keep our country and people safe.
“The NHS stands to benefit immeasurably from their training, qualifications and experience, and this campaign demonstrates our commitment to support veterans to pursue rewarding careers after service.
“The first ever NHS Long Term Workforce Plan – backed by £2.4 billion – sets out how we’ll address existing vacancies by recruiting and retaining hundreds of thousands more staff to put the NHS on a sustainable footing.”
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