Signing of the Armed Forces Covenant 

NHS 24 is pleased to be a signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant. The Covenant is a pledge that those who currently serve or have served, and their families, should be treated fairly and not be disadvantaged in any way.  NHS 24 Chief Executive Jim Miller formally signed the pledge in advance of the gun salute event at Edinburgh Castle, to mark the King’s birthday. NHS 24’s Arlene Campbell, Head of Stakeholder Engagement & Insights and Marnie Westwood, Head of Planning & Resourcing, were presented with NHS 24’s certificate by the Governor of Edinburgh Castle, Major General Bob Bruce CBE DSO.   

(Photo courtesy of Lowland RFCA) 

Arlene Campbell is also NHS 24’s Armed Forces and Veterans Champion. This role includes:

• acting as an advocate, where required, for both serving Armed Forces personnel and veterans
• supporting NHS 24 to meet its commitments and duties in relation to the Armed Forces Covenant
• engaging across the organisation to seek improvement opportunities for Armed Forces Community members across our workforce as well as those who require our services.

 Arlene commented on the significance of the recent event at Edinburgh Castle, 

“Through our ongoing participation work, and involvement particularly in the Armed Forces Talent Programme, NHS 24 has a history of engaging with the Armed Forces community. The signing of our Armed Forces Covenant is another important step in this area for NHS 24, as it reaffirms our commitment to the duties as well as the broader principles of the Covenant.”  

NHS 24 also are an active member of the Armed Forces Talent Programme, which is an NHS Scotland-wide recruitment initiative for the armed forces community. As members of the Armed Forces community can bring a wealth of transferable skills and experiences to employers across the country, the programme supports people such as service leavers, veterans, spouses, partners, dependants, reservists, cadets and cadet forces, and adult volunteers to enter the workforce. 

As result of the work progressed in this space, NHS 24 have also submitted our application for the Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS). This acknowledges employers that provide exceptional support to the Armed Forces community and Defence by going above and beyond their Covenant pledges. 

• Find out more about the Armed Forces Covenant and the Armed Forces Talent Programme.