HALTON Hospital has won a top award for its support for armed forces veterans.

The Ministry of Defence has awarded its Defence Employer Recognition Bronze Award to Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

It comes after the trust signed the Armed Force Covenant in February this year, signifying a pledge to recognise the transferable skills of former military servicemen and women applying for jobs at the two hospitals.

Chief executive Simon Constable said: “This award reflects our commitment to supporting ex-service personnel and is a real positive step forward.

“We understand some veterans find it extremely difficult to make the transition from military to civilian life, and this award will give them confidence that we will support them with any ambition to join our team.

“As a trust we are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive place to work, and attracting talented people from all backgrounds is a key part of our strategy.

“We know that ex-military personnel have a lot to offer, they are resourceful, highly-skilled and work well as a part of a multi-disciplinary team.

“We have a wide variety of roles across our sites and will support them to find any available roles that match their skillset, and provide any required training.”

The trust is now hoping to secure the silver award and is working with the Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance to ensure that its services are suitable for those who are ex-forces.