Armed Forces and Trust sign Armed Forces partnership
Published: 13 June 2019
The Trust and the Army jointly signed an Armed Forces Covenant at a ceremony at Torbay Hospital.
The nationally recognised Armed Forces Covenant signing by Chief Executive Liz Davenport and Captain Ben Kirby (of 243 (Wessex) Field Hospital (the local Army Reserve Medical Unit), took place at Torbay Hospital.
Liz Davenport Chief Executive of the Trust, said: “We are delighted to join with our colleagues from the Armed Forces to sign the Armed Service Covenant.
As a Trust we recognise that working closely has considerable value for our patients, armed forces personnel, veterans and our staff who through this partnership have access to high quality training. We look forward to building on this firm foundation.”
On a wider scale the Covenant is a promise from the nation to those who serve or who have served (as regulars, reservists, Armed Service-leavers) and their families, which says we will do all we can to ensure they are treated fairly and not dis-advantaged in their day-to-day lives.
Sir Richard Ibbotson, Trust Chairman, who formerly had a long career in the Royal Navy, said: “As a veteran myself, I recognise the importance of the Trust signing the Armed Forces Covenant. Military links in South Devon remain strong, and many of the people we support are veterans, serving, or members of military families.
“It is an important undertaking to acknowledge that these people should not be disadvantaged as a consequence of their time in the Armed Forces. The Trust has emphasised this today, along with strengthening our links with Reserve Forces which will benefit our staff in a variety of ways – not least by continuing to permit us to engage in valuable and fun training opportunities.”
The Trust signed up to the corporate version of the Covenant which formally seals a partnership under which employers, enjoy a number of benefits through the wider Armed Forces community and is formal public recognition as an organisation supportive of the Armed Forces.
The covenant focusses on helping members of the armed forces community have the same access to government and commercial services and products as any other citizen and that includes healthcare.
The Armed Forces Covenant relies on the people, communities and businesses of the UK to actively support it in order to make a difference. To find out more visit www.armedforcescovenant.gov.uk